Generation of Five
by ReidsGirl18
Summary: SEQUEL to Four by Four: It's their childrens time to live their lives while attending Spenser Academy. All they want is a normal life for their kids...Will their wish of normalcy be too much to ask for? Or will a previous threat come back for revenge?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Covenant.

I do however own Rae, Rome, Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and any other unfamiliar characters.

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Chapter 1

The Sons and Daughters of Ipswich

It was a beautiful summers day in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The sun shone brightly in the clear blue skies that hung high above the small town, the cool breeze made the heat bearable and allowed the residents outside to enjoy the perfect weather.

A group of teenagers strolled down one of the main sidewalks, catching the attention of most people they passed. Everyone knew who these teenagers were. They were the Sons and Daughters of Ipswich, descendents of the first families who settled the town.

"Where's Kelsey at today, Tristan?" A blonde girl with crystal blue eyes asked the boy who walked next to her. He turned to her and grinned.

"Rae, you know me and her aren't actually dating, right?" Tristan answered, returning his gaze to the space in front of him.

"Yeah, not yet you aren't but you will be soon." Rae stated matter-of-factly, when the sound of a ringing cell phone halted her next comment about the almost couple. "Oh, it's me."

As she dug through her purse, Tristan called to the two other boys who walked ahead of them to stop.

"Who is it?" A boy who looked very much like Rae asked. He had the same crystal blue eyes that they both had inherited from their father.

Rae gave a little squeal of excitement when she saw who was calling. "It's P!" she said to her twin brother before answering the phone. "Peyton! Are you home yet? You better have some pictures of tons of hott, tan surfers." She pulled her hair from her face with her free hand as she listened to her best friend speak fast and eagerly.

The three boys waited patiently. The tall, dark haired boy with chocolate brown eyes raised an eyebrow at Tristan who shrugged in return. They knew Rae's obsession with blue eyed, shaggy haired, tan surfer type guys, they just didn't understand it.

"Okay! I'll see you in a few!" Rae hung up the phone and stuck it back in her purse before speaking to the guys. "Peyton's home! Cameron, can you take me home so I can go see her?"

The dark haired boy grinned at the bouncing blonde before him who jutted her bottom lip out for more effect. Cameron sighed and pulled the keys out from his front pocket, jerking his head in the direction of the lot where he parked his car.

"Fine, let's go." He turned to his two friends. "You two want to head back, too?"

Tristan nodded. "What about you, Rome?"

The blonde didn't answer, his gaze was focused on something behind his sister. With an eyebrow raised in question, Rae looked over her shoulder and followed her brothers gaze. Her eyes landed on a group of girls that she recognized from her school. It was the triplets Kacy, Lacy and Tracy Becklin. Their deep red hair and blue-green eyes matched their mother's appearance down to her perfectly arched eyebrows. Kacy, Lacy, and Tracy's mother was none other then Kira Snider, the bicthy slut of Spencer Academy from back in their parents' day.

There was something else that the triplets had inherited from their mom; her attitude and the constant need for male attention. Rae and Peyton swore that the three girls goals were to get an STD before graduation. They had after all slept with more then half of the guys at school, and thankfully the three Sons were smart enough not to go there. But that didn't mean that the triplets wouldn't try. With a look of disgust, Rae looked back at her brother.

"Ugh, well that's my cue to leave. You have fun, but don't be silly and stick your willy into one of those three…or you just might get an STD." She laughed at the look her brother gave her. "I'm serious. Their goal this year is to score with one or all of the Sons of Ipswich." Saying the last part in a fake dreamy voice as she fanned herself.

"Who I'm with is none of your business," Rome said to Rae with a irritated tone. "But just to make myself clear I would never go after one of the triplets, even though they are extremely hott." He said as he walked around his sister, heading in the direction of the three girls who were sending flirty glances his way.

"Wait, where are you going then?" Rae asked, slightly confused.

Rome turned around and with a smirk so much like his fathers, he said, "I said I'd never go for one of them…but a simple flirting session seems harmless to me."

He turned and continued his path as Rae shuddered. "Ew," She said, grabbing Tristan and Cameron's hands in hers. "Let's go."

Tristan opened the passenger side door and pulled the seat forward allowing Rae to climb into the back of the car before he got in himself. Cameron closed his own door and grinned as the engine of his black 1965 Ford Mustang came to life. "I love you." He said to the car, making Rae and Tristan exchange amused glances.

Fifteen minutes later, Cameron pulled into the driveway of the Parry's Manor and from the back of the car, Rae shouted impatiently to Tristan. "Hurry, hurry, hurry, HURRY!" She said in a rush, pushing his seat with each word.

"Relax, girl. I'm hurrying." Tristan responded as he opened the door, but it wasn't fast enough for Rae. She jumped over the consol that sat between the two front seats and quickly crawled over Tristan's lap. Tristan sucked in a quick breath as Rae's knee came uncomfortably close to his private area.

Half a second later, the blond stumbled out of the car and ran as fast as she could across the front yard, making sure to avoid the planted tulips that lined the sidewalk and sprinted through the unlocked front door. As she tore up the stairs she passed Peyton's parents, Blake and Pogue.

"Hey, Uncle Pogue! Hey, Aunt Blake!" She called over shoulder with a grin.

* * *

Hearing footsteps racing down the hallway, Peyton grinned and turned just time to see Rae plowing toward her. The blonde's arms wrapped around Peyton's neck, succeeding in tackling her off her feet. Giggling like mad, the pair hit the ground, their fall cushioned by the thick carpet.

Peyton threw her arms around her best friend and hugged her tight. "Rae-Rae! I missed you!"

They sat up from the floor still smiling and laughing. "I've missed you too, Peyton!" Rae responded as she took in her best friend. Being in California for two months visiting her grandparents gave her a serious tan, giving her appearance a sexy and sultry look. "Look at you and your rockin' tan! I'm seriously jealous."

"Whatever, Rae you've got a tan, too." Peyton pointed to her friend's arms that indeed did have a tan.

Rae shook her head and grinned. "Yeah, but it's not a California tan." She laughed and pulled Peyton into another hug. "I'm so glad you're home! God, you have no idea how strange and annoying it was to only have the guys to hang out with for 2 whole months. All they could talk about were cars, girls and boobs….well, you get the picture."

Peyton laughed and rolled her eyes. "Speaking of the guys where are they?" She asked as she peaked over Rae's shoulder, expecting to see the boys standing in the doorway.

"Oh, Tristan and Cameron are downstairs, I think. Or they might be coming up here as we speak. And Rome spotted the Triplets," Rae explained, then acted as if she were gagging. "They've seemed to have gotten even dirtier over the summer."

"Ugh. You know, it's probably the truth. They did go to Europe. I wonder what poor men they devoured over there." Peyton responded with a laugh and shook as if she was shaking something nasty off herself. "Gross, mental picture."

Rae made a face and turned her head when she heard footsteps approaching and saw Cameron, Tristan, and Peyton's parents walk through the door. Blake, wrapped in Pogue's arms as she usually was, smiled down at her daughter. Though Blake was in her mid-30's, she still had the same radiant beauty of when she had been her daughter's age. Her hair was back to her natural dark brown as it had been since a few months after Peyton was born. "Glad to be home?"

Peyton nodded vigorously and jumped up, pulling Rae with her before running toward the boys who welcomed her with open arms. "Aw, guys I've missed you so much!" Tristan and Cameron hugged her tightly in return, both with grins on their faces.

"Good to have you back, P," Tristan ruffled her dark hair, giving her a wink while Cameron pulled her into another hug.

Pogue stood off to the side with his wife, watching the new Covenant generation. He was very proud of how they turned out and was extremely grateful of the fact that they got along so well. They were all good kids, minus the occasional talking back and giving attitude, but they were teenagers after all. As he looked around the group for a second time he noticed a certain blonde missing and asked, "Where's Rome?"

Rae sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. "The Terrible Trio spotted him and reeled him in." She answered, though it was only semi-true. They did spot him and using their dark magic of flirtation, reeled him in, but Rome, being the caught fish, went willingly.

Blake scoffed and before she could stop herself said, "I still find it hard to believe Bordy Becklin actually married that hag and spawned three red-headed demons." Everyone in the room burst into fits of laughter, almost to the point of tears. Blake would have felt guilty for what she had said, being a mom and all, but the truth was written all over it. Kira was a hag in high school and still was to the day.

Pogue grinned at Blake. "I agree. I'm still in shock that her and Abbot didn't end up getting hitched."

All throughout Pogue's high school years, Aaron Abbot and Kira Snider had been a couple. They had their fair share of cheating, breaking up and more drama than you could imagine, but they always ended up getting back together. Though news reached him that Aaron had met someone else while in his freshman year at Purdue. Yes, Purdue University. He might've seemed like a dumb-ass but he was actually very smart when he applied himself. And now the pair were married, settled in Ipswich and had a daughter who now attended Spenser Academy, though she was a year below Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and the Twins.

Pogue had run into Aaron and his wife a while back. She was a beautiful woman with auburn hair and deep hazel eyes and seemed to be a real sweetheart and very down to earth. After so many years he still expected Aaron to hate and despise him, instead he was genuinely nice and seemed to be happy with how his life had turned out. Pogue remembered thinking that this girl must had really changed him for the better, especially if he no longer hated the Sons.

The sound of Blake's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, bringing him back to the present. "I was thinking about having everyone over tonight. Maybe have a tiny welcome home party for us and a celebration of you kids going into your junior year at Spenser," Then she added to herself, "I'll have to call the girls and let them know."

Cameron raised an eyebrow at his aunt. "Why not just use your telepathy-thing?"

"Because, young one," Blake said simply. "I like to use my voice once in a while."

Cameron grinned as Blake, followed by Pogue, strolled from the room. He turned to face Peyton who was now unpacking her suitcases and Rae who was helping her. "I still don't like that only you girls inherited the telepathy-thing."

Peyton snorted in laughter as she tossed a pile of dirty clothes by her closet door. "Get over it, Cam. As I've said before it's because we're girls, and our moms had it, so naturally it would pass down to us. Sorry you boys didn't get it."

"I don't think that's the reason cause if that were true then you two wouldn't be here." Tristan pointed to the girls from the chair that sat in the corner of Peyton's room. He spoke of the fact that up until Peyton's birth 17 years ago, only males had been born among the Covenant line. Her arrival broke the tradition and normality that had been so heavily placed on the Covenant. In fact, their mothers had started the little chain reaction of breaking the norm.

If it weren't for River, Blake, Paige and Rylee choosing the path of love and commitment to the Sons, then they wouldn't have been born. When that commitment of love and loyalty was made, the consequences and curse that had come with the Sons' Power had been slowed down to a crawl. After the heirs of each bloodline of the Sons were born, the curse had come to a complete end, meaning no more rapid aging or consequences for Using, or for the generations to come.

"True," Rae nodded as she grabbed Peyton's other suitcase and put it to the side since they were clean. No need to unpack if they were moving back into the dorms soon. She then remembered what her mother had said so many times before. "We are the most special and unique generation of the Covenant."

Tristan nodded his head in agreement. "That we are, Peanut." He called to Rae, using the nickname his own father had used for her mother. "We all got a little part of everything. Well…except for Peyton who got double the Power and double the fun."

With a grin, Peyton closed her eyes, and when she opened them, the iris of her eyes were no longer the pretty green everyone was used to, but a glowing shade of purple. The flame of the candle that sat on her oak dresser rose several feet before shifting into the shape of a star.

"Show off." She heard Rae mutter. Peyton allowed the flame to shrink until it reached the wick of the candle then flicker out.

With her eyes still open, Peyton called upon the second source of magic that ran deep within her veins. Her glowing purple eyes faded as a flash of fire blazed from her pupil, leaving her entire eye a deep onyx. She lifted her hands level to her chest with her palms facing each other. From within the foot of space between her hands, a small silver orb formed and drifted away from her body.

"Again, I say show off." Rae said louder, her blue eyes on silvery ball of magic that floated between her and Peyton.

Peyton grinned and shrugged as her eyes returned to their natural color of green and the floating silver orb disappeared with a small 'pop' from over her bed.

"Grandpa Penn said that I have both the power to manipulate and control fire like mom, and the Power like dad because I was the first born of the new generation and the first ever female in the entire history of the Covenant. The fact that it's more intense and stronger has to do with the fact that I'm awesome." She joked, giving Tristan a swift wink.

"You've told us many times, P," Cameron teased from across the room next to Tristan, receiving a playful glare from the brunette. Being the only child of Caleb and River, Cameron had been given both of his parents magical gifts, though they weren't nearly as powerful or as strong as Peyton's were.

His mother River, had the power to shift into a large gray wolf, and with that power she had the advanced abilities of the certain senses; she could see things in the dark just like any other predator that stalked the Earth, her sense of smell was that of a wolf, strong, powerful and sensitive, and her advanced hearing allowed her to hear things from miles away. From her, he received advanced wolf senses of sight, sound and smell. Though unlike his mother, he did not have the ability of shifting forms. The Power of the Covenant had been passed down to him as well by his father Caleb.

Similar to Peyton, Cameron's eyes also changed colors when he used either of his powers. They either glowed a lime-green, or flashed fire and turned completely black like a moonless midnight sky. Where he sat now, Peyton, Rae, and Tristan watched the iris of Cameron's eyes swiftly change to the glowing lime-green. A smirk grew on his face as he listened intently to something.

"I can hear your parents, they're-" He paused, bringing his glowing eyes to Peyton.

Knowing the perverted look that had crossed the boy's face, Rae picked up a flip-flop that had been laying in the bed and launched it across the room at Cameron. When the shoe met its target, Rae grinned while Tristan and Peyton laughed in hysterics. "Don't be a pervert, Cam."

Cameron's eyes went back to normal as he rubbed the side of his head where the sandal had hit him and put on a mock innocent face. "Uh. No need abuse me. I was only going to say that they're in the kitchen."

Tristan rolled his eyes at the unlikely truth behind his friends words, he knew Cameron was going to say something totally perverted and unnecessary. "Whatever dude, I know what you were thinking."

"Okay, ew. I know what he was thinking, too. That's why I had to shut him up." Rae held both hands over her ears.

"Oh, it's so nice to be back with all of the arguing and the perverted comments. The lack of them in California just didn't feel like home." Peyton joked as she kicked one of her empty suitcases under her bed.

A small giggle escaped Rae and the three turned to see her holding Peyton's digital camera. "Okay, who is this!" She asked pointing to the screen at a cute, tan boy with blonde shaggy hair, bright green eyes and a killer smile.

Peyton crossed the room and joined her best friend. "That, my dear friend, is Joey. He's a surfer." She added making Rae bite her lip. "And I just happened to show him a picture of you and he said, and I quote, 'She's one of the hottest babes I've ever laid eyes on,' then he said something else. But in the end I managed to snag his cell phone number and e-mail address for you."

Rae squealed enthusiastically and held out her hands for the piece of paper that Peyton pulled from her purse. "Gimme, gimme, gimme!"

"He is expecting to be contacted by the end of the week." Peyton informed then turned to the guys as Rae put both Joey the surfers number and e-mail address in her cell phone. "Sorry boys, but no numbers for you."

"I don't need any numbers." Tristan grinned as he thought of his beautiful, almost-girlfriend Kelsey. "And Cameron here doesn't need help with the ladies."

Cameron smirked and didn't say anything. His mother had always said that Caleb didn't pass down his modesty to his son.

Footsteps coming down the hallway drifted through the open bedroom door and seconds later Pogue stood in the doorway. He ran a hand through his long, nearly shoulder-length dirty blonde hair and said, "Your parents are on their way. Who wants to help with grilling out?"

The two boys volunteered and stood from where they sat then joined their Uncle by the door.

"Girls?" Pogue questioned, his eyes on his daughter and the girl he practically considered to be his second child.

Peyton and Rae shared a look and with it, shared a brief conversation. "Actually daddy, I wanted to have some girl chat with Rae. If that's okay, of course."

"Of course it's okay, sweetie." Pogue said quickly. "You girls have a lot of catching up to do." He gave them a warm, dad-like smile before leaving the room.

Making sure Pogue was out of ear shot, Tristan leaned toward his green-eyed friend. "You have him wrapped so tight around your finger, it's insane."

Peyton smirked in return. "What? Like Kelsey already has you wrapped around hers? You two aren't even officially dating yet," She paused to glance at Rae. "But when it is official, she'll probably be cutting off the circulation in your finger when she wraps you even tighter."

Tristan's mouth fell open slightly and was unable to respond with a clever comeback, so he settled for an irritated glare before walking out of the room. From behind him, Cameron did nothing to stop his laughter from being heard.

* * *

Later that night, after the welcome home/celebration of the kids going into their junior year of high school grill out, Rae walked with her twin brother and parents back to their home, four houses down from the Parry's.

Rome nudged his shoulder against his sister's, grabbing her attention. "Ready for the school semester to start, sis?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, Ro." She linked arms with him as they neared the front door. The temperature had cooled, leaving a slight chill in the night air.

"When are you guys moving back into the dorms?" Paige asked her kids as she huddled closer to her husband for warmth.

"Tomorrow probably." Rome answered for both as he opened the door to the Garwin Estate. "I just need to finish up packing though."

Paige and Reid stepped into the foyer and closed the door behind them. "Well that will have to wait until tomorrow. It's too late to finish that tonight." She said, kissing each of her children on the cheek before bidding them goodnight.

"I still don't understand why they just can't stay at home," The twins heard their father say to their mother as they walked up the stairs and their parents went to their master bedroom that sat near the back of the house. "Why can't they live here instead of at the dorms?"

They heard Paige's laughter as she said, "The same reason why you, I and everyone else wanted to stay at the dorms-" Her voice faded as Rae stepped into her room at the top of the stairs, Rome followed her and sat down on her bed.

Rae's room was large and spacious, the walls were painted a deep red. The color matched the comforter and the many pillows that sat on her bed which was placed between two windows along the farthest wall.

"How did your run-in with the Terrible Trio go? Did you make it out disease free?" Rae asked over her shoulder from her cabinet as she searched for clothes to sleep in. Most of her stuff was packed so her favorite pajamas were in a box. She settled for a pair of gray Soffe shorts and a black tank top.

She could practically hear Rome roll his eyes. "I'm gonna crash. Night, Rae." He walked to his sister and kissed her head tenderly.

"Good night, Ro." She turned and noticed that his blue eyes had changed to a dark shade pink that seemed to glow within the iris of his eyes. Rome gave her a quick smirk before disappearing in front of her, leaving Rae alone in her room.

"Lazy ass." She muttered to herself as she pulled off her clothes.

Rome had inherited the ability to teleport places on will from their mother. With much practice he also learned how to orb items to himself. Laughing, Rae thought of how much he abused that fact and how lazy he was starting to become. She made a mental note to remind her brother of his laziness as she crawled into her comfy, inviting bed and threw the covers over her. She felt herself drifting into the realm of unconsciousness when Peyton's voice popped in her head.

_Get ready to move back into the dorms tomorrow. Back to the wonderful world of high school! _

Rae smiled to herself. _Glad you're home, P. Good night. _She curled onto her side and sighed contently. Her best friend was finally home and in two days they would all be back among the halls of Spenser Academy. In two days, a new school year would begin.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Covenant.

I do however own Rae, Rome, Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and any other unfamiliar characters.

Thank you for the reviews! I'm very excited about this story and I'm glad you guys like it as well!

sixthson- You flatter me, Thank you! =) Enjoy this chapter!

_Angel of the Night Watchers_- Thank ya, thank ya darling! It's starting slow I know, but it'll pick up soon. ; )

_J-21Way_- Wow you guys are just full of nice things to say! Thank you very much! I'm happy you liked "Four by Four" and that your enjoying the sequel so far!

And to answer any confusion, all five are in their Junior year of high school. Peyton, Rome and Rae are 17, and Cameron and Tristan just turned 17 before school started. Alright peoples here it is! Chapter 2! Please enjoy!

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Chapter 2

Welcome back to Hell

"Home sweet home," Peyton sighed as she lugged two boxes and a suitcase through the door. Rae came in right behind her carrying her own possessions, a few boxes already sat on the floor from their previous trip. "Well, more like a home away from home."

Peyton set down what she carried onto the bare twin bed mattress on the right side of the dorm, nearest to the half-bathroom.

On the other side of the room, Rae dropped her two boxes on the ground and one onto her bed. "I can't believe school starts tomorrow. I wonder if we'll get any fresh meat this year." She grinned at her best friend and roommate, wiggling her perfectly arched eyebrows.

"You know Rae, I really thought you'd grow out of the whole insanely boy crazy thing," Peyton said as she started to unpack her belongings and put them away. "But I think it's gotten more intense."

Rae stuck her tongue out at her green-eyed friend but didn't protest. Sure she really, really liked boys but she wasn't obsessed…that much. "Let's just get settled in so we can relax for the night."

At half past ten, Peyton plopped down on her dark blue comforter and stifled a large yawn. "I forgot how tiring moving could be."

"Me too. Should we call it an early night?" Rae asked fighting back her own yawn when the sound of high pitched giggles reached her ears.

Peyton's eyes widened as she stared at the door. "You don't think…" She let the sentence fade as she crawled off her bed and opened the door. Rae scrambled after her, peaking her head out the half-open door. "Damn it!"

Near the very end of the hallway stood the three Snider girls, laughing and tossing their heads back, finding something extremely amusing. Their laughter sounded like nails on a chalkboard to the Rae and Peyton as the sound drifted to them.

"Give it back!" They heard someone else shout. It was then they noticed that a girl stood in the doorway across from the triplets.

"You'll have to come get it," Taunted Lacy, her full lips turning up in a sneer. The unfamiliar girl glared but made no move to go after whatever they had of hers.

"School hasn't even started yet and they're already picking on new students." Peyton huffed as she strode from the room and toward the redheads, Rae followed suit.

"Oh, look who it is, Slut one and Slut two," the oldest, Kacy said when she noticed the approaching girls.

"Aw, Kacy that's not a very nice thing to say about your sisters," Rae retorted sharply when she stopped next to Peyton, a few feet away from them. "But then again, it's pretty close to the truth."

Tracy scoffed. "Whatever, Garwin. We're out." She rolled her eyes and tried to make her way past the Daughters of Ipswich but was stopped by Peyton. "Give back whatever you took. Now."

Tracy glared at the girl blocking her way and with reluctance, tossed what she had taken from the new girl before hurrying down the hallway.

"Thanks for that." The girl said with a smile. "They were really starting to piss me off."

Rae shrugged, it was almost an everyday thing that her and Peyton had a disagreement with the Snider Triplets. "They need to be put in their place every once in a while." She smiled and offered her hand to the younger looking blonde. "I'm Rae Garwin and this is Peyton Parry."

The blonde smiled back as she shook each girls hands. "Nice to meet you, I'm Bethany Marcus."

"Nice to meet you, too and welcome to Ipswich, the town where pretty much the only thing to do is go to Nicky's and party when there's a party…which is pretty much every weekend." Peyton grinned, leaning up against the wall as last minute students carried their belongings to their own dorm rooms.

Bethany laughed and shook her head. "It's not much different from my hometown. It's very small so the fun factor was limited."

Within the time they talked, the girls found out that their new friend was from New Castle, Delaware, had recently broken up with her boyfriend because of the move, and was a grade below them. "It's scary to move and have to make friends all over again. It's very intimidating, and it doesn't help that this place is huge and like, really creepy."

Rae grinned, knowing how she felt. She remembered how intimidated it was walking into the front doors of Spenser Academy her freshman year, but unlike Bethany, she had her brother and three friends with her. "Well how about tomorrow morning we come get you. We can help you find your way around and we can introduce you to some people." She offered kindly as she reached into her back pocket where her phone was and checked the time.

"Oh shit, it's nearly midnight. I don't know about you two but I need some beauty sleep." She stretched and yawned loudly, suddenly realizing how tired she was.

Bethany backed into her room, bidding farewell to her two new friends. She held up the silver charm bracelet that the triplets had stolen and smiled. "Thanks again."

* * *

The next morning:

"Okay, this is harder than I thought it'd be," Bethany said as Rae and Peyton led her to her first class at Spenser Academy. She peaked inside the almost full classroom, seeing the other students who were dressed in similar uniforms and bit her lip nervously. "I don't know anyone. I'll be all alone. What if I don't make any friends?"

Rae gave her an encouraging smile, nudging her gently towards the door. "You'll be fine. Just relax and don't be intimidated."

Bethany took a deep breath and shook off her nerves. "I can do this." She said more to herself then Peyton and Rae. "I'll see you guys at lunch?"

"Of course, and you'll get to meet everyone." Peyton nodded, her dark brown hair falling into her face slightly. "Good luck."

As Bethany walked into her class, Rae and Peyton made their way to their own classes. Rae had Chemistry with Cameron, and Tristan and Rome had English together while Peyton had Pre-Calculus by herself.

By the time lunch came around the students were dying to mingle and catch up with their friends. "Halfway through the first day of school and surprisingly, it's not so bad." Tristan said as he took a seat in between Rome and Peyton. His eyes wondered around the cafeteria, taking in the loud chatter and laughter of the other students.

"Looking for me?" A flirty voice said from behind the youngest Son of Ipswich. Tristan turned to see his almost girlfriend standing behind him with a grin on her face. "Hey, Tristan Simms."

Tristan stood quickly and grabbed the girl, pulling her into his arms. Grinning, he said, "Hey Kelsey, how're your classes going?"

"Awesome! Mrs. Garwin's class is going to be great! And I met this new girl Bethany Marcus, she's from around where my mom grew up. I feel so bad for her because she's rooming with Tracy Becklin." Kelsey answered then waved hello to the Sons and Daughters of Ipswich who sat around the table, talking animatedly about their first three classes of the day.

Rome and Rae's mom, Paige, was a teacher at Spenser and has been since they first moved back to Ipswich. During her time at Boston University, she earned her teaching degree and is now teaching the sophomore Creative Writing class.

"Thank God Bethany made a friend," Rae sighed as she shoved a fry in her mouth. "She was freaking out this morning."

"You know her?" Kelsey asked as Peyton moved over to make room for her so she could sit next to Tristan.

Rae smiled as she watched Tristan wrap his arm around Kelsey's waist. She thought they were the cutest couple ever. It's strange to think Kelsey's dad, her parents and her aunts and uncles had despised each other in high school. Rae laughed inwardly as she remembered a story that her mom once told her about breaking Kelsey's dads nose one time after a date they had. Peyton's dad, Pogue, had said that Aaron Abbot was a changed man now, thanks to wife Laruen.

"Yeah, she had a little trouble with the Terrible Trio last night. They stole something from her so we got it back for her." Peyton grinned, remembering the scared looks in their eyes while they tried to play cool.

Cameron bit into his cheeseburger, and with a mouth full of food, said, "So naturally you felt the need to play the knight in shining armor and rescue the damsel in distress."

Peyton shrugged and continued eating her food. "Naturally. Plus, those girls need to know they can't piss off people when I'm around."

"Hey guys!" They saw Bethany jog up to the table with a glowing smile. "Oh hey, Kelsey! I didn't know you knew them? Is this the guy you were talking about in class?" She asked pointing to Tristan who smirked as Kelsey's cheeked turned pink.

"Yeah, I know them. Who doesn't? They are the Sons and Daughters of Ipswich after all." Kelsey answered, her eyes on Bethany instead of on the amused boy sitting next to her. Bethany pulled her eyebrows together in confusion and looked at Peyton with a questioning stare.

"Long story," she answered then pointed to Rome who sat next to her. "Bethany, this is Rome, twin brother of Rae if you can't already tell, and that's Cameron and this is Tristan." Peyton pointed to each Son in turn. "You already know Rae of course, and Kelsey. Everyone this is Bethany." Tristan and Cameron gave a friendly smile while Rome sneakily allowed his eyes to look her up and down. He noticed that her skirt fell at mid-thigh on her toned legs.

"Nice to meet you, Bethany." Rome said in a flirty voice, his usual smirk on his lips. Bethany gave him a small smile then shyly turned her attention back to Rae and Peyton. "Well, I'm off to class. Just wanted to say hey. I'll see you guys around? Bye everyone." She added as she walked away from the table, heading to her fourth hour class.

"She's a real sweetheart. We should invite her out to Nicky's tonight!" Kelsey suggested happily as she pulled a strand of her dark blonde hair behind her ear.

Peyton and Rae grinned at each other. Nicky's was their favorite spot to hang out and they were sure Bethany would like it too. It was everyone's favorite place to hang out at after all. The bar had never lost it's popularity over the years and hadn't changed much since their parent's days apparently.

"She seems sweet." Rome added as he watched Bethany walk out of the cafeteria doors, his eyes on her backside.

"No, Rome." Rae said as if she were talking to a dog instead of her brother. "Though I've only known Bethany for, well, less then a day I can already tell she is a sweet, innocent girl and you will not be corrupting her." Tristan and Cameron laughed, Kelsey seemed to agree with Rae.

Rome shrugged and smirked. "Hey, if she wants to be corrupted, I'm not going to say no."

Peyton snorted and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay, Ro. Not everyone wants to sleep with a Son of Ipswich. I, for one, am in the category of not wanting to sleep with any of you." Rae raised her hand too, saying that she was not up for that either. She'd never sleep with one of them. First off, Tristan had Kelsey and he was like a brother to her, and second Cameron was, well…Cameron. Besides Peyton, he was Rae's best friend.

"Damn straight, you'll never sleep with one of them." Rome spoke to his sister firmly as he pointed to both Cameron and Tristan. With that he stood from the table and made his way from the cafeteria, acknowledging the girls with open stares or a smirk.

He walked into his fourth hour class, internally dreaded the fact that he'd been put in a Senior level class without any choice in the matter. Though he was only a junior, Provost Bolton insisted that because of his high scoring during last years finals that he be placed in the senior AP History class. He might have been his father's son but unlike Reid in high school, Rome tried to apply himself.

A few people had already taken their seats, including a girl with thick brown hair who sent Rome a flirty smile. The Son of Ipswich smirked in return and continued his way to the back of the class where he slouched in his chair.

When the final bell rang, signaling the start of class, the Professor stepped forward and immediately started taking roll call. He was a large man with pot-belly; a thick gray mustache sat under his nose and had a thin amount of hair on his head. The glasses he wore hung on the slope of his nose, threatening to fall off as he looked down at the list of names.

"Allison Adams?" The brunette who flirted Rome raised her hand studiously, but Rome could that she was more into the study of anatomy than the study of books.

"Drew Caldwell?" The professor's aged voiced called out to the class. The students looked around curiously, they did not recognize the name.

"Here," said a shaggy haired brunette who sat a few seats away from Rome. A soft murmur of chatter escaped the girls in the class as they took in the handsome face of the stranger. The Professor didn't seem to mind or care about the gushing girls as he kept reading the names.

Running a hand through his blond hair, Rome gladly stood from his chair at the end of class, happy that the boring talk of War and his Professors life was over. He noticed the new guy looking a little lost as he made his way into the hallway. Feeling a slight wave of sympathy towards the guy, he headed toward him. "Hey," Rome offered his hand to Drew. "I'm Rome Garwin. I'm guessing you're new around here, seeing as how I've never seen you before."

Drew laughed and shook Rome's hand, giving him a relieved smile. "Yeah, hey. I moved into town over the summer. It's a lot different from Houston. This place is more…secluded? I guess that's a good way to put it."

Rome nodded in agreement, knowing how boring Ipswich could be. "It'll get better. It's not so bad once you get into the swing of things. School's started so there will be parties about every weekend, at least that's how it was last year. And the girls here aren't too shabby either." He eyed a group of junior girls who strolled by and winked at them. They giggled as they continued their way down the hall to their next class, a few looked back at him over their shoulders.

"Not shabby at all." Drew said as he caught sight of a cute blonde at the other end of the hallway. "You know that one?" Rome followed Drew's gaze to see which girl had caught his new acquaintance's attention. His mouth fell into a frown as he recognized the girl.

"Uh, yeah. That would be my sister." Rome tried not to sound to brotherly-like when he said, "She's off-"

"Limits." Drew finished his sentence with a grin. "I understand that. I have a sister, too." Rome clapped him on the back, liking the guy already. "Well, I better head out. It's not a good thing when the new kid is late to class the first day of school. I'll see you around man."

"Later," Rome replied, heading off to his own class. The hallways quickly dispersed, leaving only a few straggling students left in the hallway with him, most of them being lost and confused freshman. Just as he was about to step through the door to his class he heard a muffled cry and a chuckle that sounded all too familiar.

Steering off his original course, Rome followed the sound and turned the corner just in time to see a small boy being shoved into one of the many lockers. "Haven't I told you once before to pick on people your own size, Montgomery?"

A tall boy with dark, sandy blonde hair turned his head to Rome. The smile that had once been on his face fell into a scowl. His nostrils flared as he puffed up, turning to face Rome on squarely. "Mind your own damn business, Garwin."

Rome continued to walk towards the lone man and the poor kid inside the locker, only stopping when he was in front of the locker that occupied the freshman. "Alex my old pal, you know me better than that. Why would I go and do that when getting into everyone's business is so fun?" He pounded his fist against the metal box and watched it swing open. The small boy muttered a quick thanks before practically racing down the hall, disappearing around the corner.

Alex Montgomery shifted his stance trying to tower over Rome which only made the Son of Ipswich want to laugh. Though Alex was a big guy, standing at 6"2' and pretty built, Rome was not intimidated. "Tell me, why do you like to pick on people smaller then you? Make you feel like more like a man?"

The bell had rung for the start of class, so both guys knew they were late but neither one backed away. Alex took his time before answering. Soon, a grin slowly appeared in his face. "Because...they're easier to _pin_ down."

Instantly Rome tensed and clenched his jaw tight. He knew that Alex's sentence had a double meaning. He knew that he was talking about his sister, Rae. Last year she dated Alex Montgomery. "Oh, did I hit a nerve? Man, your sister was good." He grunted, sounding very much like a cave man. With each word he spoke, Rome felt his blood boil as he hastily tried to fight the urge to Use. "I mean, for it being her first time and all."

In less then a second, Alex was on the floor holding a hand to the side of his face where a large black and purple bruise started to appear. He quickly stood up and launched himself at Rome, succeeding in knocking the wind out of him. With a loud 'oomph' the pair fell to the hard, tiled ground. Rome's fist collided with the side of Alex's face just as Alex punched Rome right in the mouth, busting open his bottom lip.

Just as fast as the fight started, it ended. Rome was pulled off of Alex, arms still flailing by Cameron. Tristan grabbed the collar of Alex's shirt roughly and shoved him away so he stumbled back a few feet. "Get the hell out of here, Montgomery." Alex smirked at Rome, taunting him before turning around and heading out the front doors of the school.

Once Rome had calmed down, Cameron shook his head disapprovingly. "Jesus, Ro, it's the first day of school and you've already gotten into a fight…and with Alex of all people."

"He talked about Rae and how…" He couldn't even finish the sentence. Adrenaline still pumped within his veins mixing with the Power, it urged him to continue what he had started. He wanted nothing more than to run after his sister's ex and beat the living shit out of him, but he knew if he tried that, Cameron and Tristan would be right behind him to stop him. He also knew that his sister would be furious with him for starting a fight with Alex. "Don't tell her."

Tristan handed Rome a wet paper towel that he grabbed from the bathroom across the hall. "Dude, you know we wouldn't…but you know she'll find out. Rae always finds out."

"Not always." Rome said unconvincingly to the guys.

* * *

"Rome Parker Garwin!"

Rome didn't need to turn around to know who was calling his name. The only people who called him by his full name were his mother and his sister, and since he knew his mom wasn't on campus at the moment, he knew it was Rae. When he looked over his shoulder to confirm he was right, he noticed her cheeks were red which only happened she was extremely angry. _Shit._

Once she was in arms reach of him, she punched him hard in the shoulder. Rome tried not to rub his throbbing arm, he didn't want everyone to know that being hit by his sister hurt more than when he was when punched by a guy. He cursed the fact that the girls had gotten extra strength along with the ability to talk telepathically with each other. "You just had to start shit, didn't you?" Rae glared at her twin brother and crossed her arms tightly over her chest, restraining herself from hitting him again.

"Rae, he's lucky I didn't beat him to death." Rome growled through his teeth. He still hadn't fully calmed down from the brawl with Alex. "He talked about you guys sleeping together."

Rae's face flushed. She never told anybody but Peyton about her losing her virginity to Alex, but the guys still seemed to know about it. "I don't care if he said I was the best he's ever had and told you about it in detail, Rome. You shouldn't have been fighting."

"God, you sound like mom." Rome responded as he looked around the school yard, thankful that most of the students had already left campus. He hated when people saw him and his sister or any of his friends fighting.

"Ro," Rae closed her eyes trying hard to calm down. "You can't be getting into trouble. You just got back into good graces with Provost Bolton. You're a fool if you think he won't put you right back on the list of insubordinate students." Rome avoided her gaze, knowing she was right. He shouldn't be fighting.

"I just wanted to protect you and I really hate that guy." Rome said to Rae though his eyes were on the ground.

Peyton, who stood next to Tristan and Cameron, grinned to herself. To everyone at Spenser Academy, Rome was the guy who made all of the girls hearts flutter and didn't care if he hurt them. He was known as the bad boy of the group and he never tolerated anyone messing with his sister or friends. But Peyton knew Rome could be sweet when he wanted to be, though he played to bad boy role well.

"I know and I appreciate that I really do, but I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself." Rae opened her eyes and sighed. She knew she shouldn't be mad at him since he was standing up for her, and that Alex deserved what he got but her ex was not worth the effort. "Promise me that you won't fight Alex again even if he says horrible things about me. He's not worth it, trust me."

Rome nodded stiffly, reluctantly making the promise to his sister.

"That includes you boys as well." Peyton pointed to Tristan and Cameron who gave short nods, agreeing to keep the promise. "Now, I'm off to get ready for Nicky's, maybe get a little nap in. See you guys tonight." She headed in the direction of the dorms, leaving the guys behind her in the now empty courtyard.

"It's only the first day of school and Rome's fighting. I haven't even seen Alex yet and I'm ready to drop kick him in the face for messing with my brother. Ugh, I can already tell this is going to be a fantastic year." Rae said sarcastically as she jogged to catch up with her best friend, her blonde hair flowing behind her.

Peyton grinned and linked arms with her. "Welcome back to the drama of high school. This wonderful reality includes jackass ex-boyfriends, slutty whores and the best friend who can help you survive this place I'd like to call Hell."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Covenant.

I do however own Rae, Rome, Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and any other unfamiliar characters.

Thank you _Angel of the Night Watchers_, _sixthson_,_ J-21Way_, _Nikki_, _Teekanne2210_ and _Kenny_ for their reviews!

* * *

Chapter 3

Good Times, Great Friends

"Are you sure I look okay?" Bethany asked Peyton and Rae as they made their way to the parking lot outside the dorm building.

Peyton glanced at her new friend's outfit that consisted of a pair of straight legged black pants, a white v-neck T-shirt that hung loosely from her body, and black high heels that gave her a few more inches of height. "For the last time yes," She answered with a smile. "Who are you trying to impress anyway?"

"Nobody," Bethany said too quickly. She stumbled over her words hoping the other two didn't notice. "No one, I mean…um, I was just wanted to make sure." Rae rolled her eyes as she opened the passenger door to Peyton's Jeep Wrangler and jumped into the back seat, allowing Bethany to sit shotgun.

Only after fifteen minutes of driving, Peyton pulled into the gravel lot in front of the popular small bar. She noticed Cameron's car parked a few spots away as she hopped out of her Jeep and pocketed her keys. "Looks like the boys are already here."

Bethany stepped out and helped Rae out from the back, her heels hit the gravel with a soft crunch. Similar to Bethany, Rae wore a T-shirt, though hers was tight to her body and a deep purple, dark jeans hugged her hips comfortably. She grinned, turning to Peyton as she tossed her blonde curled hair over her shoulder.

"Peyton Brianna Parry why did you change!" Rae yelled, suddenly noticing her best friend was no longer sporting the cute skirt and off the shoulder shirt she'd picked out for her earlier that night.

Peyton shrugged and held out her arms to show off her loose fitting jeans hanging low on her hips and the navy blue tank top that revealed her toned and California tanned stomach. She grinned as she opened the doors, leading the girls into Nicky's. Rae sighed and stepped in behind them as music and loud conversations assaulted their ears.

"Wow," Bethany said over the noise as she scanned the crowded bar in amazement. "This is awesome!"

Rae grinned and guided Bethany and Peyton to the area near the pool tables where Tristan, Cameron, Rome and Kelsey were sitting.

"About time you girls showed up," Rome greeted the three girls, his eyes running over Bethany twice. "You look nice." He said as she took the empty seat across from him. She smiled and turned her attention to Kelsey who sat next to her.

"I was going to order for you guys but didn't know how long you'd be," Kelsey said, her hair falling in her face as she looked at each girl.

"It's okay, I'm not that hungry anyways. But I'm gonna get a drink, you guys want something?" Peyton asked Rae and Bethany. The two girls shook their heads before jumping into the conversation with Cameron and Kelsey.

As she headed to the bar solo, she noticed many people from Spenser and other surrounding schools. _Everyone must've had the same idea,_ she thought as she waited patiently for the bartender to take her order.

From her peripheral, she saw someone approaching. "Can I buy you a drink?"

She turned to see an older man in a gray business suit leaning against the counter with a drunken smile on his face. Peyton sighed and turned her gaze away from him. "No, I can get my own, thanks." Finally getting the waitresses attention, she ordered her drink then purposefully ignored the man standing next to her.

"Then how about a dance, sweetheart," He moved in closer putting a hand on her hip. The stench of alcohol lingered on his breath, floating across the space between them and onto her face. Slightly annoyed and disgusted, Peyton stepped away from him.

"You can leave now." She said, hoping he got the hint that she wanted nothing to do with him. He appeared to be in his mid-forties, and him hitting on her was seriously creepy.

"Or you can leave with me." The old man made to stepped toward her but was stopped by an arm catching him across his chest, halting his advancement.

A young man, seeming to be a few years older than Peyton, stood next to the business man, his eyes intense and serious. "Obviously, your not getting the hint, pal," He said in a low, deep voice that made the older man shiver. "She's not interested."

Peyton, whose eyes were on the stranger, shifted to the drunken man and watched him stumbled away. The stranger turned to face her fully and she noticed that his once serious eyes were soft and kind, the color of hazel. "It looked like he was starting to get pushy. I'm Quinn."

"Peyton," She replied, offering him her hand. His blond hair hung in his eyes as he looked down at her from his six foot frame. "So, do you come to Nicky's often and rescue girls from creepy middle aged men?" She grinned at her new acquaintance, who gave her an amused smile in return.

"I come here occasionally, but you're the first one I've rescued," He paused to lean in closer to her, his grin mirroring hers. "I think you might be the last one too."

"Lucky me." Peyton flirted, then asked. "But why the last? I'm sure there'll be plenty more damsels to rescue in the future."

Quinn kept quiet for a few seconds before answering. "Why rescue more when you've already found the one you want." His statement caught Peyton off guard, making her blink a few times in surprise.

"Peyton!" She heard Kelsey's voice call to her.

Peyton looked over her shoulder to see her friend waving at her from the middle of the dance floor with Rae, Tristan and Bethany. She laughed and turned back around to ask Quinn if he wanted to dance, but was startled to find that he was no longer there.

Feeling a little put off by his sudden Houdini disappearance, Peyton made her way past her dancing friends and plopped down at the table with Cameron and Rome.

"Who was that you were talking to?" Cameron asked, pointing to the bar where Peyton was seconds ago.

She shrugged as she sipped her Pepsi that the girl behind the bar handed to her before she headed back to her friends. "Some guy who saved me from a creeper that was hitting on me. Well actually, he saved the _guy_ from getting a very ugly rejection…or a knee to the groin."

Rome smirked at Peyton from across the table, pleased that he never had to worry about protecting her from guys. She was able to protect herself, with or without her powers. She was the only girl that Rome knew who could handle a guy without getting her heart broken. How she did it, he had no idea but he was thankful that it was that way. Protecting Rae from guys was enough trouble.

An hour later, Rae walked over to the table, her blonde hair sticking to her forehead from dancing most of the night. She panted and waved her hand like a fan over her flushed face.

"Damn, Bethany's got some moves. I would have never thought that little miss Delaware would be able to move like that." Rae laughed, bringing the others attention to their new friend on the dance floor.

"If you'll excuse me," Giving Cameron a devilish grin, Rome stood from his chair and strode to the dance floor where he quickly found Bethany and gathered her in his arms. Rae rolled her eyes, a little annoyed that her brother did not take her warning about leaving Bethany alone seriously.

About a half a dozen more songs and several games of pool later, Rae rested her head on Cameron's shoulder. "I'm tired," She yawned, closing her eyes. "Do we have to go to class tomorrow?"

"Yes, we have to go to class tomorrow." Cameron chuckled as he glanced down at his watch, seeing how it was past midnight. "It's late. We should probably head back to the dorms." Peyton and Rae nodded, standing up from their seats along with their dark haired friend.

"I'll get the others," He said to them before heading off the wrangle up the rest of the gang who were scattered throughout Nicky's.

"I have to pee," Rae announced to Peyton and grinned when she rolled her eyes. "Wanna come?"

"No, you go ahead. I'll meet you outside." Winding her way through the tables and people, Peyton stepped outside and into the summer night air, shivering as a cool gust of wind swirled around her. Feeling as if she were not the only one outside, Peyton looked to her left and the sight of a man confirmed that she was not alone. She smiled to herself as she recognized the blonde hair that shone from under the street light. "First you rescue me, now your following me…Are you stalking me?"

Quinn smirked as he pushed himself from the wall he leaned against and walked closer to her. "I would say you are stalking me. I saw you looking for me in there." He jerked his head towards the bar door.

Peyton felt her face grow hot. _He saw me looking for him? _"So what if I was looking for you? You did a disappearing act. One moment you were there, and the next moment, poof, you're gone."

He gave her a crooked smile, his hazel eyes holding amusement. "I rescue you from that creepy old man, and now I'm a stalker and magician?"

Peyton shrugged with a playful smile on her lips. "Seems to fit."

"I should go," Quinn said, taking a sudden step backward. "Maybe I'll see you around sometime. Bye, Peyton." And before she could say bye back, he turned on his heel and strode around the corner of Nicky's.

The door to the bar opened and Peyton looked over her shoulder to see Tristan, Rome and the others walking towards her. "You ready, girly?" Rae asked as Peyton nodded, grabbing her friends hand who stifled a yawn as they headed to the Jeep.

* * *

"Rome seemed pretty interested in that Bethany chick," Tristan ran a hand through his hair as he opened the door to his dorm room he shared with Cameron later that night.

"Yeah, cause she's hott." Cameron said bluntly, pulling his shirt over his head before throwing himself down onto his mattress.

Tristan rolled his eyes. "True, but I meant actually interested, as in he likes her." He replied when a soft beep from his phone grabbed his attention. He pulled it from his jean pocket and smiled when he read the message Kelsey had left.

Cameron groaned and rolled his eyes as he watched his roommate text his almost-girlfriend back. "Dude, seriously when are you going to ask her out? You guys have been talking for forever. I think it's safe to say that I'm sure Kelsey is ready for you to ask her out officially."

"Shut up," Tristan laughed as he tossed a pillow at Cameron's head who easily dodged it. "Stop worrying about my life with the ladies and worry about your own. How many girls do you have lined up for this weekend already?"

"A fair few," He answered with a smirk. "But I'm thinking about chilling out on the dating thing. Girls can have so much drama to deal with, especially girls at Spenser. It gets annoying."

"That's because you're picking all the wrong girls, man." Tristan pointed out as he fell onto his own bed. Being too lazy to get up, he let his eyes flash to a glowing golden-yellow, and with a soft murmur of electricity, the lights flickered off.

* * *

"So who was the hottie you were talking to at the bar last night?" Rae asked as her and Peyton walked down the hallway at the end of the school day. "I've never seen him before."

Peyton shrugged, stopping in front of her locker. "Me either, but apparently he's been there a few times. The only info I got on him was that he graduated already and his name is Quinn."

"Very mysterious, a man with no last name," Rae grinned as she waited patiently. "Well, last name or not he seemed very interested from where I was dancing."

"Who's interested in who?" Kelsey asked excitedly as she bustled up to the two girls, her blue eyes flicking back and forth between them.

"The mysterious Quinn No-Last-Name who Peyton met at Nicky's last night." Rae answered quickly before Peyton could.

Kelsey turned her gaze on Peyton. "When are you going to see him again?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Kels," She replied as she closed her locker then turned to the two girls whose eyes were intently on her. "So, where's Tristan at? Shouldn't you two be…I don't know, somewhere together."

"Well swim practice starts today, so he and the others are there," Kelsey explained as the group of three strolled out of the schools front doors. They found a picnic table in the middle of the courtyard and sat down, enjoying the warm rays of sun that fell onto their faces.

Rae watched other students as they walked around the campus. A small group of freshman girls laughed obnoxiously from across the courtyard, trying their hardest to gain the attention of a few jocks who were hanging out only several feet from them. Among the group of jocks, Rae spotted her ex-boyfriend, Alex Montgomery. As if he knew he was being watched, Alex looked directly at Rae and gave her a cocky wink.

With a scoff, Rae turned her attention back to Kelsey and Peyton. "So, I've decided I'm never going to date again." Peyton and Kelsey stared at Rae with their eyebrows raised, a look of doubt on each of their faces. They've heard this speech before. "Swear. All of my relationships end up bad. All of them."

"You just have to pick the right ones, not the jerk-faces. For example, Alex was a horrible choice. So was, Kyle, Sean, Vin, and-"

"I get it," Rae interrupted Kelsey irritably. "I suck at choosing guys." She shifted in her seat, suddenly falling into a sour mood. She couldn't help but think that everyone around her had someone. Tristan had Kelsey, Peyton had her mystery guy, Cameron has a line of girls waiting for him, even Rome had a potential. He seemed very taken by Bethany which is unusual for him, and she knew her new friend had a crush on her brother. _Guess I can't stop that from happening now, _she added bitterly.

Peyton watched her best friend think, getting little snippets of her emotions through the connection they shared. "We'll find you someone. He'll be nice, sweet, and hott. No more jerk-faces. I bet Kelsey and I can find you a guy in two weeks." She grinned confidently, her eyes already scanning the surrounding area.

Kelsey nodded enthusiastically. "Right! Two weeks and you will have a boyfriend, sooner possibly."

Rae knew that if she said no, Kelsey and Peyton would throw a fit, so with reluctance she sighed. "Fine. Since I am horrible at my love life, I place it in your hands."

A slow grin crossed Kelsey's face as an idea struck her. "Hey, uh, let's go watch the guys practice." She grabbed Rae's hand and waited for Peyton to follow before leading the girls back into the school.

The smell of chlorine hit their nostrils as they pushed open a pair double doors that lead to the pool. The boys practice was only halfway through so the girls took seats at the bleachers near the front. Tristan spotted them and grinned at Kelsey. She waved back and blew him a kiss from across the room.

"God, too bad I think of those guys as my brothers. 'Cause they are hott." Peyton said, eyeing Rome, Cameron, Tristan and their muscled bodies, dripping wet with chlorinated water.

"Speaking of Tristan, do you know when he is going to ask me out already?" Kelsey asked with a frustrated huff. Her long sandy blonde hair was up, pulled into a ponytail but little stray hairs fell down into her face as she eyed her two friends.

Peyton smiled. "Be patient. Or better yet, why don't you do the asking?"

"Oh good thinking, P!" Rae agreed. "You should ask him after practice."

Kelsey grinned, her eyes growing wide. "Peyton, you're a genius! I'll do it. I'm going to ask Tristan Simms to be my boyfriend!"

A hour later, the practice ended and before they went into the locker room to get changed, Rome, Tristan, and Cameron made their way to the waiting girls.

"Hey babe," Tristan greeted Kelsey with a sweet kiss, his dark hair still dripping wet from his last lap in the pool.

"Hey, we need to talk. Come with me." Kelsey grinned as she grabbed Tristan's hand and pulled him off in the direction of the double doors that led to the hallway.

Cameron gave Peyton a questioning look. "You'll find out soon enough." She answered with a smile then turned to the unfamiliar face that had walked up behind Rome. "Who's this?" She asked, eyeing his washboard abs and well muscled arms.

"Hey," The handsome, well built brunette smiled and offered his hand to Peyton. "I'm Drew Caldwell."

"Hi Drew, I'm Peyton Parry and this is Rae Garwin." She pointed to her blonde best friend who now stood beside her. Drew gave each girl a charming smile, his dark eyes lingering on Rae a little longer than need be. Rome cleared his throat, gaining Drew's attention.

"We better get changed. See ya later girls." Rome said before strolling into the boys locker room. The girls said their goodbyes before making their way into the hallway. When they passed through the double doors they found Kelsey and Tristan in a heated kiss.

"Excuse us." Rae grinned as the two pulled apart, Kelsey bit her lip and blushed. Tristan smirked and placed one last kiss on her lips before passing the Daughters of Ipswich, disappearing through the doors.

"So are you guys official now?"

Kelsey beamed as she nodded her head vigorously. "Yes! He was kind of taken aback that I asked him before he could ask me, but as you could see…he didn't mind."

"Well it's about damn time you two got together!" Peyton laughed as she leaned against the row of lockers that lined the hallways. The blonde shrugged before turning to Rae.

"So what do you think?" She asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Rae raised her eyebrow at her obviously excited friend. "What do I think of what?"

"Drew. What do you think of Drew? I met him after class today. He's in Rome's AP History class. He's seems really sweet, clearly hott and isn't a jerk-face from what I can tell." Kelsey smiled as she glanced at Peyton who was also watching Rae, waiting for her reply.

Rae laughed and rolled her eyes, now knowing why her friend wanted to watch the boys swim practice so bad. "You are unbelievable. Okay, yeah he's hott but I don't know."

"Well why not?" Kelsey pouted as Peyton kept quiet, this was Kelsey's argument.

"Because…" Rae paused trying to think of a reason. "Because he's Rome's friend, and you know Rome doesn't approve of me dating his friends." Kelsey gave a frustrated huff knowing Rae was right.

* * *

"There you are, Simms. We thought your almost-girlfriend had stolen you." Cameron grinned as Tristan entered the locker room just as the others had finished getting dressed.

"Actually, she's not my almost-girlfriend anymore," the blue-eyed brunette said with a smile. "She, uh, she asked me out in the hallway. She's my girlfriend now."

Rome and Cameron exchanged quick looks before bursting into laughter. "Dude, seriously? She asked you out first?"

"There's nothing wrong with a girl who likes to take charge." Drew smirked as he headed for the locker room door. "See you guys around."

Tristan pulled his blue shirt over his wet brown hair. "Hey Cam, can you give me a lift to my place? Mom wanted me to come back home for dinner tonight."

Cameron nodded as he slung his bag over his shoulder. "Sure man, I have to stop at my place anyways. See ya, Rome." He added to Rome who lifted his chin in farewell as the two left the locker room together. The schools hallways were now completely deserted and quiet, the only sound came from Cameron and Tristan's feet hitting the tiled floor.

A few moments of silent walking, the pair stepped into the unusual sunny afternoon, both squinting from the brightness of it.

"This is odd," Tristan mused, looking up at the crystal clear blue sky. "We haven't had a rainy day in so long…not that I'm complaining or anything, but it's strange."

Cameron agreed as he unlocked the door to his black Mustang and slide into the driver's seat. He unlocked Tristan's door and waited for him to get into the car himself before replying. "It's different that's for sure, and like you said I'm not complaining. But if you jinx us and it rains I'm kickin' your ass." Shifting the car into gear, he pulled out of Spenser's parking lot and headed home.

Soon, Cameron stopped his car in front of the Simms Manor. "Just call when you need a ride back. I'll be at the house." Tristan nodded as he stepped from the car and jogged to his front door that was unlocked.

"Mom?" Tristan called through the large house. He peeked into the first room on his right to see that his father was not in the small room he used for his office. "Dad?"

"In here, honey!" He heard his mom's perky voice coming from the dining room. He smiled as he strolled into the room where both of his parents already were. "You made it just in time, dinner is ready."

"Hey Tristan," his dad, Tyler greeted with a hug, his azure eyes identical to his son's. "How was the first swim practice?"

Tristan grinned, remembering that Tyler and all the other Covenant father's had been on the swim team while they attended Spenser. "It was great. I think it'll be a great season this year."

"That's my boy," Rylee made her way to her son so that she stood before him. Her being only 5'3, Tristan bent his head down to kiss his mother's cheek. "So how are things with Kelsey?" She asked eagerly as she stared up at Tristan. She loved Kelsey and every chance she had, she would ask him questions about how their relationships is going. "Have you finally asked her out yet?"

"Things are good," he answered, laughing as he replayed the scene from the hallway in his head. "She actually asked me out instead of the other way around."

Tyler smirked from where he now sat at. "That a girl. It's about time you two got together."

Rylee turned to her husband and playfully narrowed her eyes at him. "You have no room to talk Tyler Simms. If I remember right, it took you a very long time to ask me out." She smiled gently as she walked towards him and placed a kiss on his lips.

"Ew, come on guys," Tristan laughed and covered his eyes at the sight of his parents in a lip lock. "Not in front of me."

Tyler rolled his eyes, letting go of his wife who took her seat next to him.

Tristan loaded his plate full of the delicious meal of chicken, broccoli and rice his mother made.

"I talked to Kevin and Lucy today," Rylee said.

Tyler paused from drinking, his eyes looking over the rim of his glass, a look of worry and slight panic on his face. Realizing that a visit or being contacted by either of the pair usually ended up with bad news, Rylee shook her head.

"Oh, no, no, honey, everything is fine," she reassured him with a smile. "No prophecies, riddles or anything like that this time. They were just checking up, seeing how the kids were dealing with their powers."

"Thank God," Tyler took a deep breath and sighed in relief before returning to his drink.

"You told them we have them all under control, right?" Tristan asked, his eyes on his mother. Up until about a year ago, the new Generation of the Covenant had troubles with controlling their magic and powers because they received it all at once instead of gradually. Unlike the past Covenant members who received their full powers at 18, the five kids got theirs at the young age of 13 instead. "Even with her advanced doubled power thing, Peyton has it under full control."

"Yeah, Tristan. I told them exactly that," Rylee answered with a smile. "You kids have definitely learned to control your powers faster then us." Her gaze flickered from her son to her husband. "Well, at least for Paige, River, Blake and I."

Tyler chuckled softly as he remembered the many times he and the other Sons had lost control of their Power when learning how to manage it properly. "No, we probably had more problems then you and the girls combined. You should ask your Uncle Caleb about Spring Break our freshman year at Spenser." He added to his son.

Rylee raised her eyebrow curiously and made a mental note to ask Caleb about it later. Tristan looked just as interested. He always knew of his uncle to be the cool, level headed one that always had things under control. He was going to make sure to ask what had went down that Spring Break as well.

"I'm sure Uncle Reid has a bunch of stories too, huh?" He asked with a sly smirk just as he finished up his dinner. Rylee snorted in laughter and almost choked on her water, giving him a look that said: Did-you-really-just-ask-that?-Of-course-he-has-stories…he's-Reid.

After dinner, Tyler and Rylee walked with their son to the front door where Cameron was already waiting in his Mustang. Tristan said goodnight to his parents, giving his mother a kiss on the cheek and his father a hug. He jogged across his dark front yard that was flooded with the moon's light.

"Hey man," Cameron greeted his best friend as he jumped in the car. "Mike called me. He's having a party this weekend and said if we didn't come he'd punch you in the face."

Tristan laughed at the weak threat from their buddy on the swim team. "Why do I get punched? Why not you?"

"Cause he knows I can kick his ass if he tried." Cameron smirked as he took a left hand turn, heading toward Spenser Academy. "You up for the party?"

"Of course, Danvers," he replied as Cameron sped down the road. "No party's a party without the Sons and Daughters of Ipswich. We're just going to have to let the girls know about it."

The dark haired boy grinned. "I don't think Rae or Peyton will object to a good party."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Covenant.

I do however own Rae, Rome, Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and any other unfamiliar characters.

Thank you to _Angel of the Night Watchers_, _J-21Way_, _chipmunk87_, _AdrianaMoonSorrow_, and for Reviewing! I love getting new reviewers. =) All of your comments made me extremely happy and made me want to get this chapter up faster, so here it is! Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 4

"Uh-Oh"

"Be right out," Rae called to Peyton who waited outside in her black Jeep. Shutting the door behind her, she jogged up the stairs to grab her phone and purse from her room, and when she entered it, she found Rome sitting on her bed. "Hey, you ready to go?"

"Who's Joey?" Rome asked, holding up Rae's cell phone.

Rae rushed forward and snatched her phone from his hand. "Why the hell are you looking through my stuff, Rome?" She asked in annoyance at the lack of privacy her brother gave her.

"Who is he?" Rome repeated not even the slightest bit phased by Rae's attitude.

"Just a guy that Peyton met in L.A." She said, knowing it was best to stick to the truth rather then lie to him. "We've been talking for a couple days now, no biggie."

Rome frowned, not liking the idea of his sister talking to a complete stranger. "You don't even know him, Rae! What if he is some creeper, huh? I want you to stop talking to him."

Rae's blue eyes narrowed as they focused on her brother. "First of all, I might not know him personally but Peyton does. And second, you can't tell me who I can or can not talk to. You're not my father!"

"What about your father?" A sweet, warm voice that belonged to their mother, interrupted them from the open doorway. Next to her stood Reid, his crystal blue eyes flicking back and forth between his two children.

"Is there a problem here?" he asked.

"Rae's texting some boy in California that she doesn't even know." Rome answered with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Boy?" Reid asked, his eyes now on his daughter. "What boy, Rae?"

Rae sighed. "This guy named Joey who Peyton met in L.A. She showed him a picture of me, he gave her his number and e-mail address to give to me."

Reid raised an eyebrow and looked at his wife. If she was worried about this situation, she hid it well. "Stop talking to this boy right now." He ordered, turning his gaze back to Rae.

Rae's mouth dropped open. "What! No! He seems really nice and says sweet things to me. I will not stop talking to him just because you say I have to."

"He's a guy, Rae. He'll say anything so that you think he's all sweet and kind. But all guys are the same and they only want one thing." Reid gave Rae a knowing look. "So, like I said before, you _will _stop talking to him. Is that understood?"

"That's so not fair!" Rae stomped her foot like a six-year old when they don't get their way. "How come Rome gets to talk to whoever, date whoever, do whatever the hell he wants and not get slack for it? He could be screwing half the girls on the soccer team and you wouldn't give a damn or say anything to him! Actually you'd probably applaud him for it! But if I do so much as text a boy, you tell me that I have to stop talking to him! I'm not a kid anymore, you can't tell me what to do." She wanted to say more, like the fact that she had many times over snuck out of the house to meet her now ex-boyfriend in the park or at the Dells, but she didn't want her dad to know that his little girl was no longer pure or innocent as he thought she was.

Paige placed her hand on her husbands forearm, stopping him from responding toward their daughter in anger. "First off, do not talk to your father like that, Rae Patience Garwin. Second, do not cuss in this house and third," she turned to her husband with serious eyes. "Rae can talk to whoever she wants to, whether it be a boy in California or a boy here in Ipswich. She's old enough to make those decisions on her own. As long as she's careful."

Reid made to protest but Paige cut him off again, this time speaking to Rome. "I know you're protective over your sister but you shouldn't feel the need to be. She has the Power of the Covenant and is fully capable of protecting herself. And you need to respect her privacy more."

"Fine, whatever," Rome said, then turned to his sister. "Sorry, Rae. I guess I can be a little over-protective, I'll try to tone it down a bit."

Grabbing her purse from her dresser, Rae smiled at her brother. "Good. Now let's get out of here."

"Have fun you two." Paige said to her children as they passed. She then turned to Reid and met his angry eyes.

Without a word he pushed off the wall he leaned against and practically stomped to their room. Paige followed him at a slower pace, feeling as if she were chasing after a child that had just thrown a temper tantrum.

When she entered her and Reid's room, she heard the water from the shower running, and stepped through the door.

"You're mad at me," Paige stated as she jumped up to sit on the counter sink of the bathroom. "All because she is talking to a boy and you're an overly protective father," she said before quickly adding, "I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it was just unnecessary. She's a teenager, Reid. Just like you were and just like I once were."

"That's exactly my point, Paige." Reid stuck his head out of the glass door to look at his wife. "She's a teenager, and teenagers are run by their hormones, especially boys. They only think about one thing. They only have one goal."

"This boy is all the way across the country," Paige laughed.

"Distance doesn't really matter. Male teenagers are all driven by their hormones, and they will follow it where ever it leads them. If that means flying across the country or to other states then that's exactly what they'll do."

Paige let out a bark of laughter that bounced off the walls of the tiled bathroom. "That might be true, but my little girl can handle herself. She's like me after all, I could handle myself and deal with you at the same time."

"Oh, yeah? Why don't you come in here and deal with me now?" Reid wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Paige rolled her eyes.

"No." She shook her head and laughed.

Reid smirked. "Come on, baby. Daddy needs some lovin', so get your cute little ass in here."

"Reid, no." As she spoke, Reid jumped out of the shower completely naked and grabbed Paige around the waist. He pulled her off the counter, carrying her to the steam-filled shower while Paige giggled. "Reid! What if the kids come back in the house?"

"That never stopped us before." He said in a in her ear before pulling the shower door shut.

* * *

"Hurry up, the party already started." Rae informed from the passengers seat of Peyton's Jeep Wrangler.

Peyton turned to her best friend and grinned. "I don't think so, Garwin. The party starts when we get there."

Rome smirked, his eyes landing on the brunette in the front seat. "Nicely put, Parry," He said, leaning forward between the two girls. "So is Bethany coming tonight?"

Rae raised an eyebrow at her brother, giving him a warning look. "Ro, be good to her. She's a sweet girl and if you hurt her I'll kick your ass, got it?"

Rome held up his hands in mock surrender. "Easy there, I was just asking if she'd be there, it wasn't a serious question."

"Yeah right," Peyton said with a laugh. "Everyone can tell you have a thing for little Miss Marcus from Delaware. And it seems to me that she's got you hooked. Can you believe it, Rae? Beth's got Mr. Rome Garwin, the hottie of Ipswich, panting all over her."

Rome had to repress his smile as he thought of Bethany Marcus. Something about her had caught his attention from the first time he saw her. Maybe it was her big brown eyes and the innocence they held, or maybe it was her smile, but whatever it was, Rome definitely was interested. "Hey, I'm not panting here."

Peyton noted the fact that he didn't deny the fact that he was hooked. She kept that to herself as she pulled onto the front lawn of Mike Mays house where dozens of cars already took up most of the yard. "Looks like the others are already here." She said pointing to Cameron's Mustang and Tristan's silver Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder that sat side by side.

Together, the three walked through the front door and were greeted by everyone within sight. Peyton leaned closer to Rae and whispered, "Told you the party doesn't start until we're here." Rae rolled her eyes as she led the others past the living room and into the back yard where the majority of the people were.

At the far end of the yard was a large bonfire, the flames bright and enticing. Peyton wanted very much to manipulate them, making them do whatever she wished but Rae's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Hey Kels, hey Tristan."

"Hello," She said happily from Tristan's side, her small hands wrapped around her boyfriends. "You guys get something to drink? There's a whole bunch of stuff in the kitchen."

Rome detached himself from the group and headed back into the house, making his way to the kitchen. He reached into one of the coolers and pulled out a beer when someone's hand landed on his shoulder.

"Hey," Said a sweet voice. Rome turned to see Bethany standing in front of him, a smile on her face. "I was wondering when you were going to get here."

"Oh, you were, were you?" He grinned as Bethany blushed, her brown eyes glanced shyly away from him. "Well, I'm here now."

"Yeah, you sure are," She smiled as she grabbed a drink from the same cooler Rome did and easily popped the top off before bringing the bottle to her lips. "What?" She asked Rome who was now staring at her with a smirk.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing, you just didn't take me as a beer kinda girl. Guess I have a lot to learn about you, huh?"

"Guess so," Bethany grinned then looked around the kitchen. "It's getting kind of crowded in here. I was headed outside, wanna come?" Rome nodded and the pair winded their way out of the room and out onto the back deck where they found Tristan, Kelsey, Rae and Peyton talking to Cameron.

"Who's that?" Bethany asked, pointing to a brunette with blonde highlights who was hanging onto Cameron's side. She looked over at Rome who seemed to know just as much as she did.

"Hey man," Rome greeted his best friend as they made it to his group of friends. He let his eyes land on the girl with Cameron. Her jeans fit very snug against her body, as did the black, very low cut halter top that left nothing to the imagination. "Who's this you have with you?"

The brunette bit her lip as she looked the eldest Son of Ipswich up and down. "Hi, I'm Jenna. I'm a senior at Calian High."

Rome nodded his head, ignoring the obvious attraction she had to him as he turned to Bethany. "Calian is a neighboring school of Spenser's. They have a kick ass swim team."

"We have kick ass girls too," Jenna interrupted as she stepped closer to Rome and away from her date. Cameron didn't seem to notice or care that his date was hitting on his best friend. She batted her thickly covered eyelashes flirtatiously. "I mean a kick ass cheerleading squad. Did I mention I'm Head Cheerleader?"

Bethany fought hard not to laugh. _How desperate is this chick?_ she thought to herself as the girl went on to tell Rome about how she liked to be on top…of the pyramid that is. She glanced at the others to find them in a light conversation, purposefully not coming to their friends aid for their amusement.

"Hey, Jenna was it?" Bethany asked, seeing that Rome needed a little help but also couldn't deny the little twang of jealously she felt. The senior girl turned her gaze to Bethany, looking annoyed. "You have something on your face….I think it's desperation."

Rome burst out laughing, the others quickly joined him as they watched Cameron's date stomp away from them and into the house. "Wow," Tristan breathed through his laughter. "That was the best thing I've ever heard in my entire life. That was awesome."

"What happened to the sweet and innocent girl that we first met?" Peyton giggled, holding her side. Bethany grinned sheepishly as their laughter died down.

"She went away temporarily," She said, feeling slightly bad for how she acted toward the girl. "I feel kind of bitchy now."

Cameron stepped forward, his face serious as he looked at the brown-eyed girl. He broke into a smile as he said, "Thank God you got rid of her. She was bugging the shit out of me."

"Like Tristan said, that was awesome so there's no need to feel bad," Rome stated, his blue eyes searched hers for a few seconds before asking, "You wanna dance?" Bethany nodded and the two disappeared into the house, Tristan and Kelsey followed.

"I'm gonna get a drink, you want one?" Cameron asked Rae as he stepped backwards toward the house. Rae shook her head and watched him leave.

She was only alone for a few seconds before a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist. "Hey baby," A easily recognizable voice said in her ear.

"Get off of me, Alex," She shrugged out of his embrace then turned to face him, feeling her heart tighten as she looked at him. He was very handsome with his shaggy, sandy blonde hair and mossy green eyes. "What do you want?"

Alex smirked and ran a hand down her shoulder, stepping closer as he did. "You know what I want."

Rae let out a bitter laugh. "Well then, you're talking to the wrong girl now, aren't you? Why don't you leave me alone Alex, or do you take pleasure in annoying the shit out of me?"

"God, Rae you're such a fucking tease. You were when we dated and you still are. You act like you don't like me but I know you do. Why else would you always be staring at me? I saw you the other day watching me when you were with Peyton and the Abbot chick." He leaned in closer to her, his face inches from her. Rae didn't back off, she held her stance. "You want me, Rae. I still love you."

She felt her heart drop to her stomach as his lips found hers. She didn't push away or stop him, though she knew she should have at least slapped him. In fact, she didn't respond to his kiss at all.

"Alex," Rae said when he pulled away from her. She'd forgotten how persuasive he could be and found herself wanting to lean into his embrace. _Focus, _she told herself. _He doesn't mean it. _She stared at him, into those beautiful mossy green eyes of his and took a deep breath. "You don't mean it. You didn't then and you don't now. You're just saying it because you think it's what I want to hear, but I don't want hear it from you. We're not together anymore and that's how it's going to stay." Her mind cleared with every word she spoke. She felt a note of satisfaction as she talked herself out of the effect he thought he had on her.

Alex didn't move as he spoke his next words. "You're right. I didn't mean it then. But you believed me and I got what I wanted. I was just seeing if you'd take the bait." He leaned in even closer to her, his lips threateningly close to hers. His breath smelled like a mixture of cigarettes and alcohol as he spoke his next words, "But now that I think of it, you were only good enough for one round."

Rae glared at her ex-boyfriend with pure hatred. Along with his persuasive ability, Alex was also able to push her buttons like no one else. "Go to Hell, Alex." She growled through clenched teeth, and with a satisfied smirk on his face, Alex left Rae standing alone and unfortunately for her, with a wounded ego.

"Hey bestie, looks like you could use a drink or two," Peyton said as she handed Rae a plastic red cup. "I saw what happened…you okay?"

"I'll be okay after a few drinks….or ten," She teased, a small smile playing on her lips before falling back to a frown. "I really don't understand how he can get so deep under my skin."

Peyton gave her a sympathetic look. "You know, he's standing by the bonfire right now…what if he was to, I don't know, catch on fire? Accidentally, I mean."

Rae couldn't help but laugh. "That'd be a sight to see, but I think I'll just stick to the drinks instead. In fact, I need another one."

"That cup's full, you don't need-" Peyton started to say but stopped when Rae down the drink in five large gulps. "Well it _was_ full."

Two hours later, Peyton found Rome and Bethany hanging out in the hallway with dark wooded floors. "My, my don't you two look cozy." She grinned at the pair, thinking to herself that they'd make a very cute couple. "I'm heading out. Tell Rae for me? I can't seem to find her in this chaotic place. Oh and she's had a few drinks."

"I'm ready to leave, too," Rome said, shaking his blond hair from his crystal blue eyes. "And how many drinks we talkin' here?"

Peyton laughed as she shrugged her shoulders. "A fair few, but nothing to worry yourself about. She can handle herself."

Rome huffed and rolled his eyes. "Why does everyone keep saying that? Rae cannot handle herself, especially if she's been drinking."

"She'll be fine by morning. Mike said people could crash here if need be," Peyton said. "And besides, Rae's a big girl now, Ro. She knows what she's doing."

* * *

Rae let out a frustrated huff as the bright morning sun fell across her face, disturbing her sleep. She rolled onto her side and faced away from the light of daybreak, determined to get a few more hours of sleep. The aftertaste of vodka, cranberry juice and beer floated around in her mouth, making her stomach churn uncomfortably. _I will never drink again._ She thought.

Sleep had almost taken over her once more when an arm snaked it's way around her waist. Her eyes flew open in shock at the unexpected contact and her body froze. Her eyes scanned the room that was not hers to see her jeans and shirt on the floor laying next to her bra and underwear. "Uh-oh." Rae whispered to herself, unable to glance at the person sleeping peacefully behind her.

Quickly, she tried to remember the events of last night but the only thing she could recall was her dancing in a sea of bodies, and of course drinking a lot. All sleepiness that had threatened to throw her back into unconsciousness had vanished. She now felt wide awake and in a way, slightly curious as to who this man was in bed with her.

Her mind flashed to Alex. _No, no. Alex isn't the cuddling type. _She reminded herself happily. With her ex-boyfriend ruled out, she bit her lip apprehensively, wondering who it could be. Knowing the only way to know for sure, Rae held her breath and slowly looked over her shoulder. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest when her gaze landed on the handsome face of Cameron Danvers.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Covenant.

I do however own Rae, Rome, Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and any other unfamiliar characters.

I want to thank _Angel of the Night Watchers_, _chipmunk87_, _Luli Cullen_, _DANCEisLIFE_, _Ravvy B_, Ninny, and _truelovexx _for the Reviews! Thank you! =) Sorry for the wait but I had a hard time with getting things in order for this chapter! I don't know why but because of that reason is it shorter. The next one will be as long as I normally do them. Enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Chapter 5

Dirty Little Secret

Rae's heart thudded hard against her chest as she climbed quietly and slowly out of bed, praying that her sleeping childhood friend would not wake. Once safely off the mattress, she dressed soundlessly and tiptoed to bedroom door.

"Crap," she said under her breath, realizing her cell phone wasn't in her back pocket where she last had it.

Looking over her shoulder, she scanned the room for the small piece of technology and cursed in a whisper when she spotted it. It sat on the ugly gray carpeted floor, right below Cameron.

With the stealth like a cat, Rae walked to the side where the Son of Ipswich slept and reached down for it. Her fingers curled around the silver cell phone when a voice sounded from above her. "Rae?"

Rae jerked her head up, her eyes looking into the face of Cameron Danvers. "Hey, uh, you sleepyhead! I was just, um, coming to wake you up? Yep, I was sleeping in a room far from this one and found you in here so I thought I'd wake you up." She said in a rush, her words meshed together as nerves suddenly took over. Standing up, she grabbed his clothes and tossed them to him. "So you get dressed and uh, we can go." She knew she wasn't acting like herself at all but how was she supposed to act? She just woke up to find herself naked in bed with her best friend.

Cameron raised his eyebrows at her in confusion as she turned her back, allowing him to dress. His head pounded, his throat ached and his mind was foggy and unfocused. He tried to remember anything from last night but it was all a blur, so he concentrated a little harder.

After a few minutes of thought, it came to him. A scene played in front of his eyes: flesh on flesh, his lips on tanned skin, blonde silky hair…and the crystal blue eyes of Rae Garwin. He stared at his friends back in disbelief. "We had sex last night."

From where she stood, Rae turned to face Cameron with a flushed face and though it was not a question he asked, she nodded once. "Yeah…yeah, we did." She bit her lip, unable to hold his gaze for too long. A long silence fell between the pair.

Wanting something, anything to be said, Rae cleared her throat. "You know what? We can just pretend this never happened. It was just a mistake, right? We were both obviously extremely drunk and things got way out of hand." She said rationally, her crystal eyes met Cameron's dark orbs. "Right?"

Cameron nodded slowly. "Right. It was a mistake."

Feeling the awkwardness disperse, Rae gave a relieved smiled. "Okay. So we're good?"

"Of course," He replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes like usual. "Let's get out of here."

Without another word, the pair made their way out of the room, down the staircase and out of Mike Mays' two story house. Once outside, Rae breathed in, filling her lungs with the crisp, fresh air. Cameron's Mustang sat in the middle of the green yard, looking as if it belonged in a showroom.

The roar of the engine broke the silence of the early morning, startling any sleeping animal within a hundred feet. Cameron pulled off the lawn and onto the black paved street. Neither of them spoke, both sat lost in their own thoughts.

"No," Cameron said, fifteen minutes into the silent drive. Rae faced the dark haired boy with a look of utter confusion on her face.

"No, what?" She asked, wondering if he had lost his mind. Her confusion grew as the car came to a dead stop at the side of the deserted road. "Cameron?"

Cameron took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I lied. I lied when I said I thought what happened last night was a mistake. What if…," He hesitated with his next words, wondering if he should say what he had been thinking about since he woke up. Though he barely remembered what had gone on last night, he couldn't help but think if there could be more between them. By the way his heart was beating, he knew that he had to try. It was strange how he felt all of a sudden, he had never though of Rae like this before. He took a second breath and locked eyes with her. "What if last night happened for a reason? What if you and I…together, could work?"

Rae stared, taken aback and uncertain of how to respond. She loved everything about Cameron, but in a friendly way. Could that love of friendship grow to become a relationship? The thought had never crossed her mind until that very moment. "Cam-"

"Get out of the car," Cameron interrupted, opening his door and getting out of the car. "Come on, get out."

"What are you doing?" Rae asked in suspicion as he opened her door too. She stepped out of the car eyeing him closely. _Had he really lost his mind? _

"We're going to see if this could work." He stated simply as if she should already know the answer, and before she could ask how they could figure it out, Cameron grabbed the back of Rae's neck and pulled her close, bringing his lips to hers.

Rae felt her knees grow weak as he parted her lips effortlessly, the air between them seemed to be on fire. No kiss she had ever gotten had this much spark. Just as her shock started to subside, he pulled away from her.

"Um…" She blinked a few times, feeling short breath, and was also very aware that her heart was running a marathon within her chest. _Wow._ "You kinda caught me off guard there…you want to try that again?"

A cute smirk found it's way across Cameron's mouth as he leaned closer, his lips brushing softly over hers, almost teasingly. A dozen butterflies fluttered madly around her stomach as she wrapped her arms around his neck to deepen the kiss.

When they pulled apart, Rae smiled up at him. If someone had told her three days ago, that she would unexpectedly have feelings for Cameron Danvers, Rae would have laughed in their face and called them crazy. But now, as she stood in his arms, she realized that she seemed to fit perfectly within them.

She shook her head in disbelief, feeling suddenly giddy. "I'd never thought I'd see the day when I say I'm dating a Son of Ipswich."

* * *

Later that day, Peyton sat on her bed with her mouth gaping and her eyes as wide as tennis balls. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. She wanted to laugh at everything she was just told. It all seemed too ridiculous, too strange. _Cameron Danvers and Rae Garwin…together? As a couple? Is this a joke?_

She looked up at Rae and studied her face. Her blue eyes held the truth of her words and from what she could see, excitement shown in them as well. _Nope, this is no joke. _

After several long minutes of processing all the information about the newly-budding couple, Peyton cleared her throat. "Wow, this is…well, totally unexpected and random." She laughed, throwing her arms in the air as she fell back onto her mattress.

"Yeah I know it was a shock to me too, trust me. When I woke up next to him I nearly had a heart attack." Rae smiled as she sat down on her own bed, grabbed a pillow, and cradled it to her chest. "It's weird how this turned out. I never thought I'd would ever date Cameron in a million years…"

"HA!" Peyton shouted, sitting up from her bed quickly with a large grin on her face. "I told you I'd find you a boyfriend! I told you he would be nice, sweet, hott and most definitely not a jerk-face."

Rae snorted in laughter. "You did not get me a boyfriend, P," She pointed her finger at Peyton. "I got myself a boyfriend."

"I don't think so Miss Garwin. If it weren't for me leaving the party early you would have never stayed at Mike's for the night." She replied smoothly. "Now that I think of it, you should thank Alex. He's the one who got you pissed off enough to drink, and you being drunk led you and Cameron to have drunken sex. And now he's your boyfriend."

The girls laughed loudly as Rae considered her words. "It's true, thanks. And remind me to thank Alex as well." She grinned. "So your okay with it? You don't think it's weird?"

"Well," Peyton leaned forward setting her elbows on her knees. "Yeah, it's weird but I sort of like the idea. You already know you guys have chemistry," she added a wink, "and like I already said, Cameron's a great guy."

Rae couldn't help but grin, she felt extremely happy and content with her life as of now. She felt light, as if she were in the clouds, floating above them.

"I wonder how your brother is going to react."

All at once Rae was jerked back to the ground, the weight of reality crashing down on her. She was so excited about telling Peyton everything that she didn't think about her brother. Her once blissful smile fell into a deep frown. "I forgot about him."

She heaved a heavy sigh and let her shoulders fall in a slump. She was nervous about telling her brother because she had a feeling that he wouldn't be very happy with her dating Cameron. Sure, Cameron was one of Rome's best friends but that was the problem.

Rae bit her lip and grabbed her phone from next to her, sending a quick text to Cameron.

* * *

Beep. Beep.

Cameron reached into the back pocket of his jeans for his cell phone and flipped it open to see a text from Rae. _Don't tell anyone about us yet. _

He stopped his advancing steps toward his dorm room, the door only yards from where he stood. With his eyebrows pulled together he sent back: _Why?_

Seconds later, his phone beeped again. _Explain later._

With a huff Cameron shoved his phone back into his pocket and took his last remaining steps towards his dorm. "What's up?" He said as he walked into the room, seeing Tristan and Rome in front of the T.V.

He dropped onto his bed as Rome asked, "How was Rae last night?"

Cameron breath caught in his throat. "What do you mean?"

Rome tore his eyes from the screen in front of him, an eyebrow raised. "You did keep an eye on her last night, didn't you?"

"Oh," Cameron let out a mental sigh of relief. "Uh, yeah. She's fine."

"Good," Rome said, seeming satisfied. "From what I heard she needed someone to look after her."

Tristan let out a hearty laugh. "Yeah she was pretty gone." Cameron couldn't help but laugh too.

"We were both pretty wasted." He said with a grin as he thought of his morning events. He wished he could tell Tristan that he finally found the right girl. He wanted to know their reactions to this sudden and random romance. "What would you think if Rae dated one of your friends?" Cameron heard himself ask Rome before he could stop himself. He was curious and couldn't stop the question falling from his lips.

He would hear one of two answers: One being, 'Oh, I wouldn't mind…as long as he was good to her.' Or the second, being, 'I forbid her to do that and I'd kick the ass of anyone of my friends who went against it.'

He was hoping it would be the first rather then the later…even though it would be the least likely of the two, but he kept his fingers crossed.

Rome's answer was almost spot on the second. "Are you really asking me that? Man, you know I've forbidden her from dating any of my friends." Apparently he thought Cameron's question was amusing. "Why, who's asking?"

Cameron didn't know what to say. He sat staring into the icy blue eyes of his best friend.

"It's probably Drew, the new guy," Tristan put in, drawing the blonde's attention to him. "I've caught him eye balling her a few times."

_Thank you, baby boy. _Cameron breathed easier and added, "Yeah, it is Drew. He said he was interested so I thought I'd ask." Okay, that was a total lie but he'd rather put the suspicious eyes on Drew instead of him.

Rome just shook his head in agitation, cutting the conversation to an end with his silence. Now Cameron knew why Rae wanted to keep their relationship a secret. At least for now.

* * *

Peyton walked out of her last class of the day, her school uniform wrinkled and untidy from a day of sitting. Her green eyes scanned the hallway full of students, looking for one person in particular. She spotted Rome near the front doors of the school surrounded by Kacy, Lacy and Tracy Becklin. They flipped their red hair and batted their eyelashes, but he didn't seem at all interested.

She spotted Rae near the lockers in front of her with Cameron. They stood apart from most of the other students. Peyton sauntered up to the pair with her books clutched to her chest. "Hello love birds."

Cameron's head snapped to the brunette then found Rae's eyes just as fast. "You told her?"

"Of course she told me," Peyton answered the question that was meant for Rae, "I'm the best friend."

"I thought we agreed not to tell anyone. What, does your little telepathy thing not count as telling or something?" Cameron said with slight irritation, his eyes glancing at a group of passing students.

Rae narrowed her eyes. "I told Peyton yesterday, _before_ we decided to keep it a secret. Calm down."

Cameron sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. Yesterday, he wanted to tell his best friends about him and Rae, but after talking to Rome he agreed that it'd be best to keep it hush-hush for the time being.

As he thought about it further, Cameron decided that even though he was one of Rome's best friends, the fact that he was dating Rae of all people wouldn't settle well with the Eldest Son of Ipswich. Rome was too protective over his sister and wouldn't approve. As much as he hated to admit it, Cameron had track record with girls, and though Rome approved of his lifestyle, he wouldn't approve of Rae being in the mix.

"I'm sorry." He said to both Rae and Peyton who accepted the apology with a smile.

"It's okay, Danvers…It will be our dirty little secret." Peyton said with a sly smile as she backed away from the couple. "I'm heading into town with Tristan, I'll see you two later."

She made her way outside, across the courtyard and to the parking lot where Tristan was waiting. She waved to Kelsey who kissed Tristan goodbye as he got into his silver car.

"Where to first?" The dark haired boy asked Peyton as she hopped into the passenger seat.

"The store. I'm out of shampoo and I told Rae I'd pick her up a box of her favorite cereal." Peyton replied with her hand out the open window, the air passing through her fingers. Tristan turned left out of the parking lot and down the street that led into town.

Twenty minutes later, Peyton stood in the shampoo aisle with two bottles in her hand wondering if she should go with her favorite scent of strawberry or the new scent of warm vanilla.

"I'd go with the warm vanilla if I were you," A voice said from behind her, causing her to jump. She looked over her shoulder and met the hazel eyes of the mysterious Quinn-No-Last-Name. "It's my favorite."

"Quinn, hey," She grinned. "Are you sure you're not stalking me?"

He laughed as she turned to face him. "I'm sure, but I admit that I'm glad I ran into you."

Peyton felt giggly but forced herself to stay cool. "Oh, yeah? Why's that?"

"I wanted to see you again." He said with confidence and without hesitation. A small smile played on his lips as he waited for her to reply.

She paused for a moment and took a step closer. "Is this you asking me out on a date?"

"It is," Quinn smirked. Peyton noticed how his eyes still held a mystery, something hidden beneath the warm color. "I'll pick you up tomorrow night."

"Oh, wait. I can't tomorrow, it's a school night." She wanted to smack herself in the face. _I can't believe I just said that. _She looked down at the ground feeling a little childish from her words.

The corner of Quinn's lips twitched in amusement. "How's Friday at eight?"

Peyton lifted her gaze and grinned. "Friday's great." She felt her face grow warm as he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"See you then, Peyton." He said as he backed away from the blushing brunette and disappeared around the corner, leaving the Daughter of Ipswich alone in the aisle. She shook her head, tearing her eyes from the spot where she last saw him and turned back to the two shampoo bottles. She looked at both, trying to decide which to go with; her usual and favorite scent of strawberry or the new, Quinn's favorite scent of warm vanilla.

With a little smile, Peyton set one bottle back on the shelf and picked up the basket at her feet. She headed to the check out lanes with two items: a box of Raisin Bran Crunch and a bottle of shampoo, the scent of warm vanilla.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Covenant.

I do however own Rae, Rome, Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and any other unfamiliar characters.

Told you I'd get this chapter up faster then the last! =) I want to thank _Chipmunk87_, _Luli Cullen_ and _Angel of the Nightwatchers_ for their reveiws! Also, thank you to those who added Generation of Five to their story alerts and favorites. AND even Four by Four is still getting some love! Thank you to everyone who added it to their favorites! I love you all!

* * *

Chapter 6

Everyone has their Secrets

"What about this one?" Peyton asked, holding up a gray off the shoulder shirt. Her dark hair was loosely curled and hung down, framing her face. Her make-up was light and natural as it always was.

Rae looked up from her English homework that lay in front of her. "It's great."

Peyton narrowed her eyes and dropped the shirt onto her bed where a dozen other shirts laid. "You've said that about every shirt." It was Friday night and nearing 8 o'clock, Quinn was already on his way and she was having a hard time finding the right outfit. Rae was no help at the moment.

"Come on, P," Rae huffed as she closed her book, unable to read any more of the assignment. "Just pick a shirt! I like the last one, the gray one. It's cute yet not too dressy." She lifted herself to a sitting position to talk better to her friend. "Where's he taking you anyway?"

Peyton shrugged then pulled her shirt of her head, careful not to mess up her hair. She grabbed her black converse from under her bed and was putting them on her feet when a knock on the door sounded.

Rae quickly jumped off the bed, racing Peyton to the door. She gave her best friend a triumphant grin as her fingers curled around the doorknob first and opened it.

In the doorway stood Quinn, his blonde hair was stylishly ruffled, giving him a certain charm. Rae smirked at him and then turned to the brunette. "Have fun." She winked and pushed Peyton out of the door.

"Forgive her," Peyton laughed as the door shut in their faces. "She's a little excited."

"Excited?" Quinn repeated, falling into step with Peyton as they walked down the quiet hallway. "About what exactly?"

"Everything." She grinned, thinking about the past week her friend had. Things were going great for her. "So, where are we going?"

"You'll see," he said, holding the door open for Peyton, who gave him a small smile as she passed him. The moon shone weakly behind a mass of gray clouds, a storm was moving in.

Parked right at the curb of the dorm building was a red motorcycle. "Wow," Peyton said as she walked around the bike, inspecting it. "A Ducati 848. Very nice."

"You know bikes?" Quinn asked, holding up a black helmet to her. "I'm impressed."

Peyton took the helmet with a grin. "My dad is a maniac when it comes to cars and bikes. He had a Ducati when he was my age. So when I was old enough, he taught me everything he knew."

"He sounds like a pretty awesome guy." Quinn straddled the bike and waited for Peyton to climb onto the back. She wrapped her arms hesitantly around his middle and intertwined her own fingers as Quinn said, "Hold on."

* * *

Peyton and Quinn stepped into the front door of a quaint diner set in the outer region of the small town. There were only a few people inside, they sat around circular tables that were covered with a dark blue cloth. The restaurant was no bigger then Peyton's living room and kitchen, but it was cozy.

The waitress showed them to a table set back in a corner away from the other guests, a single candle was lit in the center, sending a golden glow onto tablecloth. Peyton sat down and looked around the small restaurant.

Quinn noticed her wandering eyes and smiled. "This is one of my favorite spots," Peyton's eyes found their way back to him. "I found it when I first moved here."

"How long have you been here?" Peyton asked, grabbing the menu that was placed in front of her. Her eyes immediately found her favorite plate of pasta: Fettuccini Alfredo.

"Well I grew up in Boston, I moved to Ipswich about a year ago." Quinn replied as he looked at the menu in front of him. "I was planning on moving back soon but that changed…"

"What made you change your mind?" Quinn looked up and met Peyton's gaze.

He waited to answer her question as the waiter came up to take their order. The waiter took their menus and nodded to the pair before leaving the table. "I got a job. Pays well and I can work whenever I want."

Peyton leaned forward, placing her elbows on the small table. "Sounds like a pretty awesome job to me."

Quinn smirked and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "It has it's perks."

Peyton grinned as she took in his appearance; he wore a black t-shirt that fit tight to his body, and even though she didn't know for sure, Peyton could tell that was built. _He must be an athlete_, she thought as she looked back up at his face. She realized then that being with him wasn't awkward. Usually first dates were tense and uncomfortable and couldn't wait for them to end. At least for Peyton they were. But with Quinn it was different. He was laid back and his persona made her feel comfortable, and even though their date had just begun, she didn't want it to end…

She blinked and shook her head for thinking that way. She knew very little about this man and for all she knew, he could be a murderer or someone bad. Something about his eyes, behind them, lingered something she couldn't place.

_Don't be silly Peyton_, she told herself. "Some of my friends and I are going to Nicky's tomorrow. I was thinking you could go with, or at least meet us up there."

"Sure," He responded with a shrug. "I'll have to keep an eye on you anyways, won't I?" Peyton raised her eyebrow at him in question. Quinn smiled and teasingly said, "I have to make sure no over-aged men try make an inappropriate move on you."

She rolled her eyes and laughed, remembering the drunken man who hit on her last time she was at Nicky's. "Yeah, he was a creeper."

"I wouldn't say that exactly," Quinn sat up and let out a breath, making the candle flicker from the sudden wind. "He was just a man trying to gain the attention of a beautiful girl. It's lucky for me that I stepped in to save you."

A smiled tugged at Peyton's lips and felt her face grow warm. Usually it was hard to make her blush, but Quinn somehow managed to do it every time she was with him.

The rest of the dinner went by better then Peyton would have thought. There were no awkward moments, no worrying about what to talk about, no wondering 'do I look weird when I eat?'. To be honest, it was close to perfect.

After dinner was paid for, they thanked the waiter and made their way outside. Quinn looked up at the sky to see the stars hidden behind dark storm clouds, the bright moon fought desperately to shed its silvery light on the small town of Ipswich, Massachusetts. "I better get you home, it'll start storming soon."

Peyton lifted her eyes to the sky as well. If they didn't hurry, they'd get stuck in the storm.

Grinning, Peyton turned to Quinn and held out her hand. "Let me drive?" She asked, and without hesitation he handed over the key to the motorcycle. With a swift motion, she threw her leg over the side of the bike. Quinn took a seat behind her, his nose right in the back of her head. He smirked when he smelled the warm vanilla scent lingering in her hair.

The engine of the Ducati came to life as the Daughter of Ipswich turned the key in the ignition. Her hand gripped the gas and before she pulled out of the parking space, she spoke to Quinn. "Better hold on tight." Just as he linked his arms around her small waist, she sped away, all the while hearing Quinn chuckle.

Less then twenty minutes later, Peyton came to a stop at the front of the dorm building. She climbed off the bike and took off her helmet, handing it Quinn. It had already started to rain, a light drizzle fell from the sky.

"You know, the speed limit down that last street was 45, not 85." He laughed as he took off his own helmet. His golden blonde hair was ruffled and more out of place then usual.

Peyton shrugged. "What can I say? I like the thrill." She smiled and looked down at the ground for a second. "Thanks for tonight. I had a lot of fun."

"Me too," Quinn smiled and placed the extra helmet on the seat behind him. "I'll see you tomorrow then." Peyton nodded and turned to go but her feet stopped after three steps. Before she knew what she was doing, she spun around and placed her lips on his in a chaste kiss. She pulled away and smiled.

"Bye," she said before practically skipping into the large building that she roomed in. Once she walked through the doors, she looked over her shoulder to see Quinn pull his helmet back over his head. Peyton's heart gave a single flutter when she saw that he was smiling.

She found her way quickly to her dorm room where Rae was sitting on her bed, waiting anxiously for her best friend's return. As soon as Peyton closed the door Rae jumped up and asked, "How'd it go? Where'd he take you? Did you kiss him? I bet you did! Is he a good kisser?"

Peyton laughed at the bombard of questions her friend had for her. "It went great, he took me to this little restaurant that I've never heard of, and for the kiss…..I don't kiss and tell." She finished with a grin as she grabbed a pair of shorts and a tank to sleep in. "And I invited him to Nicky's tomorrow."

Rae clapped her hands excitedly, glad that her friend had likely found a potential. "Peyton has a boyfriend! Peyton has a boyfriend!" She sung as she danced around the small room, only stopping when a pillow flew toward her, aimed at her head.

"Shut up," Peyton smiled as she crawled into her bed after putting her pajamas on. "We've only had one date, he's not my boyfriend."

"Not yet, he's not," Rae pointed out, throwing Peyton's pillow back to her. She climbed onto her own bed and switched off the lamp on the bedside table.

As Peyton drifted into unconsciousness, she heard her best friend whispering softly, "Peyton's got a boyfriend, Peyton's got a boyfriend."

* * *

The next morning Tristan woke to the sound of a soft knock on the door. He looked up to see Kelsey skipping up to him, a sweet smile on her face. "Morning boyfriend. Where's Cameron?"

Tristan sat up, rubbed his sleepy eyes and glanced over at his roommates bed. It was empty. "I don't know. I didn't hear him leave." He said in a sleep laced voice. He leaned forward as Kelsey sat down on the side of his bed, giving her a kiss. "What are you doing?"

"I'm coming to give my wonderful boyfriend a personal wake up call. So now that I'm here," Kelsey stood on the bed and started jumping up and down yelling, "Wake up!"

"Okay, okay," Tristan laughed at he pulled the blonde down next to him, the pair fell back onto the bed. "It's way to early for that."

Kelsey giggled and kissed his nose. "It's almost noon, Tristan." She cuddled into his side and sighed contentedly. They laid like that for a few minutes in complete silence. The only thing you could hear was their steady breathing, their breath coming and going at the same time. She smiled to herself and looked up at the face of the Son of Ipswich. His eyes were closed again and his arms held her tight, so that if she tried to move, she wouldn't budge. She couldn't help but think that this is how it was supposed to be; her and Tristan laying together, no words needed.

She bit her lip, trying to stop from giggling. He looked so innocent as he slept next to her. And even though she could stay like that for hours and watch him sleep, she had things to do today. "Tristan," She said in a whisper, trying to wake him slowly. "Tristan, time to wake up."

In his sleep, Tristan stirred and rolled over on his side, his arms sliding out from around her. He shook his head, mumbling, "A couple more minutes."

Kelsey was about to resort back to jumping on the bed to wake him up when the door opened and in walked Cameron. "Wake up, lazy ass!" He shouted as he set down three cups of coffee on the desk next to the T.V. "Hey, Kels. I knew you'd be here." He took one of the three coffees and handed it to her.

"Thanks, Cam," Kelsey grabbed the cup, purposefully stepping on Tristan has she climbed off the bed. Tristan groaned and sat up, playfully glaring at his girlfriend of almost a month. "What are you doing out of bed? I usually have to wake both of you up on the weekends."

Cameron shrugged and took a sip of the steaming coffee in his hand. "I just don't feel like wasting my days anymore. When I wake up at noon I feel like half my day is gone and wasted."

Kelsey raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised at his response. Cameron never cared about wasting the day or sleeping in too late. She turned her gaze on Tristan, hoping he could explain his best friends new behavior. "Don't ask me," He said as he rolled out of bed and grabbed his own coffee. "He's been like that all week."

Cameron grinned and continued to sip his hot drink. He noticed a change in his behavior too, and he knew it was because of Rae.

"Alright, I need a shower." Tristan shared as he walked into the bathroom, coming back out with a basket of shower things. Before he left he bent down and placed one more kiss on Kelsey's lips.

When the door closed behind Tristan, Cameron made a mock gross face. "You two make me sick. So lovey-dovey all the time." He teased gently. Kelsey responded with a wide grin, her eyes glancing to the door her boyfriend walked through.

"If you had a girlfriend, you'd be like that too."

"Rae's-," Cameron stopped abruptly and bit his tongue in punishment. He almost slipped about him and Rae being together, but he recovered from his almost slip up. "Rae's said that before."

Kelsey walked to the door and turned around. "Great minds think alike. I'll see you later, Cam."

Once the door closed, Cameron let out a large breath of air. "This secret thing is gonna be harder then I thought."

* * *

"You look anxious, Peyton." Kelsey said from next to Rae who was bending over the pool table at Nicky's, about to take her shot. She pulled back the cue stick and brought it forward smoothly, the white ball collided with the green striped one and was knocked into the side pocket.

Peyton turned her head from the entrance of the bar to look at her friend. "Hm? Oh, no I'm okay." Okay, so that was half true. She was okay, but she was a little anxious. It was nearing 11:30 and Quinn was nowhere in sight. She couldn't help but think that he wasn't going to show, that he wasn't interested anymore.

"P, he'll be here," Rae's voice said in her ear. Peyton glanced at her friend and gave her a sheepish smile. Rae knew her too well, she always seemed to know what she was thinking. Rae looked over the brunette's shoulder and smiled. "Told you."

Peyton looked back at the door to see Quinn walking through it. His hazel eyes roamed the bar for a moment before they landed on the person he was looking for.

"Hey," He smirked when he stood in front of Peyton. "Sorry, I'm so late."

She waited for him to explain further, maybe find out why he was so late but then remembered that he didn't need to explain anything to her. It's not like they were a couple. "It's okay. My friends kept me entertained." She pointed to Kelsey. "This is Kelsey Abbot," the blonde waved and smiled at a blue eyed boy who handed her a drink. "That's Kelsey's boyfriend, Tristan Simms, and you know Rae Garwin…well, kind of."

Tristan offered Quinn a hand, giving him a friendly smile. "Nice to meet you, man."

"You too," He said, shaking his hand, then turned to Peyton, giving her a flirty smile. "Are these all of your friends?"

Rae knocked in the black eight ball, making her and Tristan the winners of the game. She laughed out loud and pointed to a table on the other side of the dance floor. "You still have another table over there to impress."

Quinn looked to where she was pointing to see three other guys and a pretty blonde sitting at the table, talking animatedly. "You've charmed us my new friend, now you have to charm the others." And with that Rae set down the cue stick and led the way to the other side of the bar, dancing her way over the dance floor as they crossed it.

When they were near enough, Rome looked up and meet the stranger's eyes and without waiting for Peyton to introduce him, he stood and reached across the table. "How's it goin', I'm Rome Garwin." Quinn shook his hand, noticing that his grip was firm. He could tell that this Garwin boy was protective of his friend, though not as much as he should feel.

From there, Peyton took over the introductions. "Next to Rome is Bethany Marcus," The dark eyed girl waved before going back to her conversation with Rome, "That's Cameron Danvers, and this is Drew Caldwell." Both boys nodded in greeting, offering an empty chair to their new guest.

Quinn took a seat next to Cameron who quickly made the new face feel welcome. "We were just talking about an upcoming swim meet against our rival school, Calian High. You into swimming?"

"I was the one of the best at my old high school in Boston," Quinn answered, leaning back in his chair casually. "I was the Dog Paddle Champ."

The table burst into laughter as Quinn cracked a grin before saying, "Nah, I was into the Freestyle stroke." Instantly Rome, Tristan, Drew, and Cameron liked the guy. He was able to joke and he was a swimmer, so with that he shared some common interest with them.

Peyton grinned around at her friends who all seemed to instantly like Quinn. She was very impressed at how quick and easy it was for him to be accepted by everyone. Usually, it took someone ages for all of her friends to like someone if they were brought in by an individual. And another plus was that he didn't seem to be intimidated by the fact that they were the Sons and Daughters of Ipswich, unlike most people would be.

Then again he didn't know they were actually called that or that they were descendants of the founders of Ipswich. She didn't feel the need to mention it to him, either.

The night continued on the right track from that point on. Just like their date, there was no awkward pauses to fill in between conversations. It felt to Peyton as if Quinn could get along with anyone. He was kind, handsome, a gentlemen, and obviously had a great personality. _He definitely fits in well with everyone_, Peyton thought happily.

By the time it was one in the morning, Tristan and Kelsey had left, leaving the bar when things just started to get interesting. Peyton, Quinn, Bethany, Rome and Rae were already out on the dance floor. Cameron sat alone at the table with a knot in his stomach as he watched Drew make his way to the dance floor and toward Rae.

Cameron had to resist the urge to jump from his chair as Drew's arms encircled Rae's waist, pulling her close to him. Something stirred within his gut, the knot in his stomach seared fiery hot now, placing an uncomfortable feeling in his chest as well. This feeling was so new to him, that at first he had no idea what it was. All he wanted to do was break Drew's arms for touching his girlfriend.

Realization hit him at that moment. He was jealous.

For the first time in so long, a little green monster of jealousy scratched against Cameron Danvers insides, longing to break free of its confides. But it couldn't. As much as Cameron wanted to release it, he couldn't. If he were to say something, anything to Drew about staying away from Rae, he'd get suspicious, and that couldn't happen.

He took a deep breath, trying too calm the growling beast inside of him. He looked away for a moment but his eyes quickly found their way back to the dancing pair. He felt a stab of loathing as he watched Drew's hands sink low on her hips and down onto her thighs. He expected Rae to step away, maybe even smack him but she didn't. She didn't even move.

This time Cameron forced himself to look away. He stood and walked to the bar just as the last few beats of the song came to an end. Though he was satisfied that it was over, he did not turn around to see if they were finished dancing.

"I'm sorry," A voice said from next to him. Cameron looked down to see Rae standing at the bar. She glanced sideways at him, her eyes full of apology.

Cameron shook his head, a single, angry laugh escaped him. Rae huffed and reached for Cameron's hand that laid on top of the bar, her fingers gentle touching his. "I wish it was you I was dancing with. Meet me back at my dorm." She whispered then walked away, heading toward the table where Peyton and Quinn were sitting.

He couldn't help but grin and feel slightly stupid for being angry. Just like him, Rae had to be careful about what she said and did, and that intimate touch was a risky thing for her to do. He felt the green monster fade into a warm comfortable heat as he turned from the bar to make his way over to the table as well but stopped when he nearly ran into Drew.

"In a hurry to get somewhere?" Drew asked as he leaned against the bar, ordering a drink from the waitress behind it.

_Yes. _"Nah," He said, looking over at Drew to see that he was staring at the person he was longing to kiss. The senior's eyes were watching Rae hungrily and before he could stop himself, Cameron said, "You know, she's not interested right?"

Drew tore his gaze from Rae and shrugged. "She might be thinking no at the moment," He paused, returning his gaze to the blue-eyed, blonde on the other side of the room. "But soon, very soon, she'll be saying yes….if you catch my drift."

Cameron had to clench his jaw and desperately fight the urge to punch the idiot in his face. Instead he put on a fake smile and said, "Better not let her brother hear that." He hoped he would take it as a threat, a type of warning but Drew just smirked instead.

"He doesn't have to know about anything, now does he?" He said confidently, waggling his eyebrows as he walked away from Cameron.

The growling green monster was back in Cameron's gut. Though this time the creature was much larger, and very, very pissed off.

* * *

It was nearing two in the morning by the time Quinn got home, his Ducati was parked on the street below him. He opened the door and pulled off his leather jacket, leaving him only in a white t-shirt and jeans. As he walked farther into his apartment, he had the feeling that he wasn't alone.

It was dark in the room, the only light that shone was from the full moon that hung high in the sky. Slowly, Quinn reached his hand up to the light switch and flicked it on. A small lamp flashed on, sending a golden glow around the room.

In the corner of the room, a figure stood. Quinn sighed in relief as he recognized the cloaked man. "How'd you get in here?"

"I have my ways," The figure said, making sure to stay out of the light. He sat down and lounged back as if he owned the place. "That was a nice little act you put on for the Parry girl. What's her name? Oh, yes, Peyton, the first ever Daughter to born in the Covenant bloodline. Well, Casanova I thought your job was to bring her to me, not take her out for romantic dinners and make nice with her friends."

Quinn lifted his chin high, his face set. "My job was to get close to her, and this is my way of doing it. You said I can do this my way. So let me do that, if not you can do this on your own."

A malice grin appeared on the mans face. "Ah, yes. Make her fall in love with you to win her trust and her heart. Clever, I must admit, but unnecessary. However, I did say when I hired you that you could do this your own way…"

"Why do you want this girl so bad? Did she break your heart and now you're seeking revenge or something? Where are you going?" Quinn asked as his visitor stood up and strolled to the door, brushing right past him.

The cloaked figure paused at the door and turned to the blonde. The look on his face made Quinn shiver. "To visit an old friend."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Covenant.

I do however own Rae, Rome, Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and any other unfamiliar

So sorry for the late update! Lots going on these past few weeks. First day of classes start tomorrow! AH! Still can't believe I'm in my Junior year of college! Crazy! But anyways... I wanted to say THANK YOU to _Chipmunk87_, _Luli Cullen_, _Ravvy B_, _J-21Way_, _gxaxbxbxy_, and _Angel of the Night Watchers_ for reviewing the last chapter! Also thank you to those who favorited, story alerted, etc. =) You guys keep me going, for real!

* * *

Chapter 7

Nightmare of an Enemy

_Caleb's chest rose and fell in a shallow rhythm, his breath coming out in a fog before him. It was crisp and chilly, unusual weather for the end of August. Beneath his feet, fallen branches snapped, the sound deafening against the silence of the darkened forest that surrounded him. With steps that were hesitant, he made his way toward the red-orange glow that peaked out between the trees up ahead. _

_He didn't know how long he'd been walking. It could have been five minutes or it could have been an hour, but however long it was, it seemed like forever until he reached the clearing. _

_As he stepped through it and into the field he averted his eyes downward. The once wheat colored grass was now charred black. Fear pricked his mind, replacing the curiosity he felt as his gaze landed once more on the glow of the red fire that still called to him. _

_A sense of recognition swirled in his mind._

_It was the old Putnam Barn. Well, what remained of it. It looked just as it had the night Chase disappeared, boards broken and charred laid on the ground beneath the orange fire. With unknown dread, Caleb took a step toward what remained of the once historical place, his eyes never leaving the flames. That was when he saw it, a movement within the fire. Caleb sucked in a quick breath, realizing someone was in there. _

_His first instinct was to run toward them, to rescue them, but he stopped when the flames suddenly dropped, rising no higher then two feet. The person made no move to leave the fiery pit. The flames danced wildly around the stranger. They licked and curled around him but did not scorch him. Something about this stranger made Caleb anxious, he could feel the fear turn to cold dread. His heart thudded against his chest and couldn't suppress the involuntary shiver that ran down his spin, racking his body. _

"_Who are you?" Caleb called, disobeying the warning that his mind was shouting, telling him to stay back though his feet still carried him forward. The man was cloaked in a black robe that touched the ground, a pale hand reached from the black fabric. Caleb's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach as the cloaked man lowered his hood, revealing his identity. _

_The man's voice was cold and thick with hatred that matched his hard blue eyes as he said, "Hello…Brother." _

A gasp that was near a yell sprang from Caleb's mouth as he lurched from his sleep, standing quickly off the bed. His breathing was hard and labored, he could feel sweat dripping onto his chest from his face.

"Caleb?" His wife said in a sleepy voice. The lamp on the bedside table flickered on, sending a soft light across the large furnished room. River's eyes landed on her husband, taking in his appearance. He was extremely pale, looking almost as if he'd seen a ghost. The glow of the lamp reflected off his sweat dampened body.

River tugged the blankets off herself and walked around the bed to stand in front of her husband. She placed a warm hand on him and felt him shaking under her touch. "Caleb, what's wrong?"

He turned his gaze to hers and met worried eyes. His dream felt so real. He opened his mouth to tell her but stopped. His gut warned him not to tell her…not yet at least. "Bad dream. I'm sorry I woke you." Caleb kissed her forehead tenderly. "Go back to bed."

River smiled before climbing into the bed, curling under the blankets. He stood as he was for a few moments trying to even out his breathing.

All that crossed his mind was the face from his dreams, highlighted by the fiery orange flames. Caleb's heart jumped at the thought. _It couldn't be, it can't be, _he tried to reason with himself but he couldn't ignore the knowing dread that stirred his insides uncomfortably.

He's back. Chase Collins is back, and if he knew his old enemy, he was back for one thing and one thing only. Revenge.

* * *

The next morning, River woke up to gray skies and misty rain. A groan escaped her at the sight of seeing typical weather that usually settled over Ipswich this time of year. They had been lucky up until today, getting warm summer days with endless rays of sun, but now it seemed like the rain and clouds were back, welcoming the coming Fall season. She rolled over on her side, intending to sleep a little longer but sat up when she noticed the spot next to her was empty. With sleepy eyes, she looked around the her room expecting to find her husband but he was no where to be seen.

Her feet hit the cold wood floor causing a shiver to run up her small frame. Slowly, she made her way down the long winding stairs and to the kitchen where she found Caleb sitting at the breakfast bar. A cup sat in front of him, steam rising from the contents within it. He jumped when River's arms wrapped around his neck from behind.

"I'm sorry," River apologized as she sat down next to him. She noticed that he was still a little pale from the previous night. "You don't look so well. Are you feeling okay?"

Caleb gave her a small smile and nodded. "Yeah I'm fine," He said, without looking at her. "Just didn't sleep much, that's all."

River stared at the side of his face feeling as if he wasn't telling the truth. Caleb doesn't keep anything from her anymore, so maybe he was fine. "Okay," was all she said, before standing and making her own cup of coffee. "Is Cameron up yet?"

"Actually he left an hour ago." Caleb answered, happy to get the conversation off himself. "He said he was meeting Rae and Peyton for breakfast before heading back to school. He also told me to tell you that he loved you."

River smiled as she thought of her son. He was a good boy who had his priorities straight…though maybe they weren't exactly in the same order as she would have put them, but friends and family were definitely at the top of the list.

"He sure is growing up too fast for my liking," River took a sip from her drink and leaned against the counter. "It feels like we just brought him home yesterday."

Caleb looked up and smiled at his wife. She wore no make-up and was dressed in a gray sweatshirt and shorts but she never looked more beautiful. He wouldn't know what to do without her. A twinge of fear pulled at his heart as his mind found its way back to the nightmare from last night. He needed to figure out what was happening and he needed to figure it out now.

Quickly, he stood and nearly knocked over the cup in front of him. "I have to go," He said, receiving a look from River, her dark eyes questioning his strange behavior. He offered a smile, with which he hoped that she wouldn't get suspicious of why he was acting the way he was. "I told Ty I'd meet him for a bit to eat."

The feeling came back. He was keeping something from her. But instead of pursuing her questioning, she just nodded her head. "Okay," she said as she took a sip of her coffee. "I love you."

"I love you too, River." Caleb replied as he kissed her lips softly, letting it linger before pulling away. "I'll be back soon."

Caleb's mind raced as he hopped in his car and drove, reviewing the nightmare that haunted him ever since he'd dreamt it. The misty rain outside the window turned to a hard drizzle as he pulled the car to a stop ten minutes later. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he opened the door and stepped out into the ugly weather that seemed to match his mood.

The sky was gray and bleak, sending a shadow over the field that folded out before him. He could see the broken remains of the Old Putnam Barn, the boards laying in a pile where it once stood proud and strong. To his left sat a thick line of trees that seemed to have fallen right out from his dream, the only thing that seemed to be missing was the fire…and Chase.

"I know you're here," Caleb called out into the open, scanning the area slowly, taking in everything. "I know you're back, Chase…I don't know how you came back but I do know why," he paused, his fists clenched in tightly at his sides. "And if you think you will win this time around you're wrong."

The wind picked up speed at that moment. It whipped his shirt around his body as if responding to him. Caleb turned on the spot, taking a few steps into the center of the field.

"You lost last time and you'll lose this time!" He continued, yelling over the noise of the wind and the creaking tree branches. He planted his feet as the wind sent debris and dust flying, hitting his bare arms painfully, causing him to only yell louder in anger. "You're revenge will be short lived if you show your face. Do you hear me? I'll kill you this time if you come near my friends or family!"

The wind stopped in an instant, the trees and grass no longer moved. Thick drops of rain still poured but seemed to make no sound as the hit the ground. Caleb's breathing was hard and his throat was raw with emotion. "I'll kill you." He whispered as his narrowed eyes swept over the remains of the Putnam Barn and the woods once more while his chest rose and fell quickly.

With tensed muscles and a tight jaw he turned on his heels and walked heavily back to his car. He hoped his threat would be heeded and he wouldn't see his enemy's face anytime soon. But if he knew Chase, as he thought he did, he would take his words as an invitation rather than threat.

Caleb hung his head, wishing he'd never let his anger take over. But as he thought further, he would rather know for sure that his enemy was back and let Chase know that he was ready for whatever was thrown at him instead of sitting blindly, waiting for him to appear.

Chase was back, he was sure of it, and if he wanted a final battle, Caleb was ready. A flood of determination flowed within his body. He was ready. Caleb would fight Chase Collins and this time he would get rid of him for good.

* * *

"So Peyton had some unfinished homework she needed to tend to, did she?" Cameron asked as he and Rae strolled down an empty hallway of Spenser's classroom building. The whole building was empty for a matter of fact, Cameron made sure of that. Before they trespassed, he let his eyes fall to a glowing green as he listened intently with the gift he inherited from his mother; the advanced hearing of a wolf. He waited for any sound of movement, whispering or footsteps, any sign that the building was occupied. It was empty, not even the janitor was in the building.

Now, as they walked hand in hand, they were able to be with each other freely without the fear of being caught, over heard or showing too much affection. Rae took advantage of it at every moment possible. She stopped him suddenly and bounced in front of him where she stood on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips.

Cameron grinned into the kiss and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her feet off the floor as he pulled her closer. She giggled as their lips parted.

"This is nice," She smiled as their eyes met. "I just wish we didn't have to hide it."

Cameron grabbed her face in his hands and with a smirk said, "It's okay. I kinda like the thrill of sneaking around."

Rae laughed out loud, the sound echoing around the empty hallways. "It is kind of exciting isn't it? Kind of like Romeo and Juliet. Well, minus the who dying thing at the end."

"Cameron and Rae, the new modern remake of Romeo and Juliet with happy alternate ending." He chuckled, leaning down once more to capture his girlfriends lips for a second time. Her lips were soft against his as they moved from his mouth to his jaw line then back up. Cameron's hands found her lower back and lifted her shirt a few inches, exposing her skin.

"Easy there, Tiger," Rae pulled away, breathing heavily with a smile on her face. She felt her stomach flip as she gazed up at him, seeing a look in his eyes that made her feel fuzzy and warm and slightly dizzy. She never really noticed how when he smiled one corner of his mouth dimpled adorably.

"Sorry," he apologized as he rested his hand on her neck, laughing. His eyes grew wide as an idea crossed his mind. "I just need to be cooled off a little."

Rae's eyebrows pulled together in confusion as the dark haired boy stepped away from her and walked past her down the hallway.

"You coming?" He called over his shoulder and smiled as her footsteps sounded behind him. From several yards behind, she followed him down two hallways then turned the corner of a third to find he wasn't there.

"Cameron?" She called out, looking up and down the hallway for any sign of her boyfriend. "Where are you?"

"In here," Came a muffled voice from behind two double doors. Rae's eyes landed on the two signs that hung above them. One said: Pool Area; the second said: Off Limits, Permission Needed. She grinned as she opened both doors without hesitation, the smell of chlorine hit her nostrils just as the sound of a single splash reached her ears.

Cameron grinned up at her from the water, his shirt left on the edge of the pool with his shoes and socks.

"Cam," Rae laughed as she squatted down near the edge but far enough away so she wouldn't get pulled in. "You're crazy, you know that right?"

"Why don't you join me?" He wiggled his eyebrows as he wadded the water effortlessly, his heavy wet jeans no bother for him. Rae shook her head and laughed. "Babe, I want to kiss you…and I know you want to kiss me. I mean, look at me." He said cockily as he gestured to his tanned torso and six pack abs.

Rae snorted in laughter and rolled her eyes but she couldn't deny that he was right. She wanted to kiss him, very, very badly. This was the first time they'd been able to really be alone in a week and it killed her. She felt a bubbly giggle in her throat and the urge to throw herself into the pool at that moment. But instead she stood, her hands reached for the bottom of her shirt before pulling it over her head leaving her in a nude colored bra.

She stepped to the edge and dipped her toe in the water, her eyes never leaving her boyfriend's face. He watched her with a smirk on his face as she tested the water then take a step back, preparing to jump. Just then the doors to the pool area burst open and the couple turned to see her best friend running through them.

"Rome's here!" Peyton warned in a loud whisper so both Rae and Cameron would hear. She continued her run and leapt into the pool fully clothed, the splash sending water onto Rae. Nearly fifteen seconds later, Rome strolled in, his eyes immediately landing on Rae and her shirt in her hands. The blonde's heart stopped beating, her mind was telling her she'd been figured out as her brothers eyes glanced between her and Cameron. "What's going on here?"

Rae stood and stared at her brother, unable to find words or an excuse as to why she was standing with her shirt off and Cameron in the pool looking just as guilty as she felt.

"What do you think, dumbass?" Peyton said as she swam to the edge of the pool and looked up at Rome. "We wanted a swim! So get your ass in here!" It was then that Rae noticed Peyton swam in only her purple bra and jeans, her black shirt tossed on the side. Rae felt a wave of gratitude toward her best friend.

"Yeah, Ro," Rae said stepping onto the edge where Peyton was and slipped into the lukewarm water. "We just wanted a swim."

Rome seemed to contemplate their words for a few seconds, then looked at Rae. "Okay, but can you at least put your shirt back on?" He chuckled as he lifted his gray graphic t-shirt over his head and joined the others in the water.

_Thank you, _Rae's voice sounded in Peyton's head clearly, the sense of gratitude and love flowed with the words. Peyton smiled.

_You owe me. _

_

* * *

_"I think you're over-thinking this, River," Paige said as she carried two empty plates into her kitchen sink then turned to her best friend. "I'm sure Caleb will be back to normal soon. Reid gets in strange moods all the time."

River sighed as she took a seat at small table and looked out the window. It had been four days since Caleb had started acting strange. Different, in a way. He was too quiet, too captivated by his own thoughts. She'd noticed that his eyes would flicker to her and would see a look in his eyes…she thought she recognized it as fear. And every time she would ask him what was wrong or if he was okay, the dark eyed man would smile weakly and say, 'I'm fine.'

"I don't know, Paige," She turned her gaze back on the blonde before her. "Something's wrong, I know it. Caleb's not like Reid, he doesn't get in weird moods like this. He usually tells me if something is wrong right away." River paused to take a breath as she ran a hand through her dark hair. "But whatever it is this time, he's keeping it to himself."

Paige gave River a sympathetic look and at the same time telling herself that he had noticed a change in her childhood friend's behavior. She bit her lip. "I'll talk to Reid and see if he can find out what's the matter with Caleb. But I think you should talk to him once more first. I'm sure it's nothing big though. He's probably just in a funk. We all have our moments, River."

River gave a small smile. Paige was right, everyone had their moments, even Caleb. _Maybe I am thinking into it too much…_ She told herself as the sound of the front door opening and closing reached her.

Seconds later, Rome strolled into the kitchen with Tristan and Cameron behind him.

"Hey, mom." Cameron greeted his mother with a kiss on the cheek. "You okay?"

"Yeah, honey," River responded. "I'm great."

Paige eyed her son as he hugged her. "What are you three doing here during school hours?" She stressed the word school, her eyebrow raised.

Rome leaned back on the counter after snagging a sugar cookie from the plate next to the stove and plopped it into his mouth. "Who needs school?" He said with a mouthful of cookie causing Rae to narrow her eyes.

"Rome Parker Garwin do not chew with your mouth open," She scolded her son. "Why aren't you in school?"

Rome only smirked and stared at his mom playfully. That was when River turned to her son.

"Cameron can you explain why you boys aren't at school in class like you should be?"

"Free period," Cameron answered as he rolled his eyes at Rome who liked to pretend he was skipping class instead.

"Coach let us go off campus until our next class." Tristan chimed in, sitting down next to his Aunt River.

Paige pulled her lips to the side of her mouth as her eyes narrowed slightly. "I think that Coach of yours favors you three too much…"

Rome rubbed his mom's head, mussing her hair out of place. "And I think he favors us because, well, we _are_ the Sons of Ipswich."

"Get back to school," River said sternly to the three teenage boys. After snatching the plate of cookies, Rome jogged from the room, yelling goodbye over his shoulder as he went. Tristan and Cameron followed, both laughing as Paige raced from the room after her son.

"God, he is so much like his father," Paige laughed as she returned to the kitchen with an empty plate of cookies. She ran a hand through her blonde hair and sighed. It was true. Everything from Rome's piercing blue eyes to you-know-you-love-me smirk were exactly like Reid Garwin. And then there was Rae, sweet and kind but not a pushover. Blonde hair and blue eyes, more like her mother.

"I think I'm going to head back to the house, see if my husband is ready to talk." River stood, stretching her arms over her head. "Thanks for talking to me Paige, it helped."

Paige waved off the thanks with her hand. "That's what I'm here for. If you need anything else just give me a call…" She paused then smile and pointed to her temple. "Or you can reach me here."

River burst into laughter, feeling better then when she first arrived at the Garwin house. She called goodbye again as she made her way out of the front door where she took a deep breath of fresh air.

The weather had been the same for the past four days; dark clouds lingered in the sky, the sun hid behind them, fighting to show it's bright rays, and it hadn't stopped raining either. It was drizzling right now, the soft mist clung to River's hair and skin as she walked toward her house a few houses down.

She was humming to herself as she walked down the dark pavement of her driveway when she suddenly stopped, feeling as if she were being watched. It tickled her scalp and caused her heart to skip. She caught a slight movement out the corner of her eye from the woods behind the house. Something was in there…or someone. Squinting her eyes, she took a few cautious steps toward to woods to get a better look. Still unable to see anything, River let her eyelids fall as the power seeping through her veins rose to the surface as she called her wolf senses forward.

With the sight, smell and hearing of a wolf, she opened her eyes. Glowing green irises scanned the trees, her body tense, her ears rang as she listened intently for any noise. A swift thought raced through her mind, telling her that there was danger. But as she stared, she saw nothing, heard nothing, and smelled nothing.

"River?"

River whirled around her hand flying to her mouth to suppress a scream. "Caleb," She sighed in relief, bringing her hand down over her racing heart at the sight of her husband. He stood next to his car with the door open and the engine still running, a look of worry was set on his handsome face.

"What's wrong?" Caleb asked as he walked to her, stopped in front of her and placed his arms steadily on her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"I just…I thought I-," She stopped and took a deep breath then started over. "I thought I saw something in the woods. I felt like I was being watched but I didn't see or hear anything…" She bit her lip and stared at him. This was the first time he'd actually spoken to her in days, so hesitantly she asked, "Are _you_ okay?"

Caleb shifted his gaze to his feet then looked back up at his wife. "Yeah. I've been…detached lately and I'm sorry. That dream I had really got to me but I know that's not an excuse, I shouldn't have kept you at a distance. Will you forgive me?"

River felt like a weight had been lifted from their relationship. She'd been so worried that his strange mood would continue and last much longer, so she was relieved that he had finally opened up. "Of course I forgive you." She kissed his lips and huddled against his chest, realizing at that moment that the rain started to come down harder. "What was your dream about?"

"It doesn't matter anymore. It was just a dream." Caleb kissed his wife's forehead, telling himself that the words he spoke were right. It had been four days since his nightmare about Chase. Four days since he warned his old enemy that if he came around, he'd kill him. Caleb prayed that he took the threat and wouldn't show his face. So for now, he'd believe his words. "I love you, Mrs. Danvers. I don't know what I would do without you and Cameron."

A large smile graced River's face as she looked up at her husband of nearly 18 years. "I love you, too."

* * *

"Good girl," A man said to himself, grinning as he stood between two thick trees that sheltered him from the misty rain.

Chase Collins moved slightly to his left, gaining a better view of the dark haired woman who took uncertain steps in his direction. She was staring right at him but of course she couldn't see him. He was too far away for regular human eyes. Even if the girl had perfect vision, she still wouldn't be able to see him.

She stopped suddenly, her eyes closed. He felt a cold jolt of surprise rush through him when the woman's eyes opened back up. Glowing orbs, the color of bright green, found their way across the yard and to the woods he hid himself in.

Quickly ducking behind one of the thick trees, Chase stood in shock. Her eyes had changed colors. One minute they were dark then the next they were a brilliant green, almost luminous.

_She has Powers. _Not like the ones he had, but magic pumped through her veins just as the addictive Power pumped through his. Curiosity and intrigue caused his mind to wander. How could he think that the Sons of Ipswich were the only people on Earth with Powers?

His original plan was to just snatch her, maybe leave a ransom note for the perfect, All-American Danvers. But now the possibilities were endless. What if he could get her powers too? He came back for revenge on Caleb, but the possibility of gaining even more power was too tempting to pass by. He grinned as his brilliant plan twisted with new ideas.

He chanced a peek around the tree and saw that his new target, the beautiful magical girl, was no longer alone. A menacing smile fixed itself on his lips as he recognized the dark haired man. It had been twenty years since he'd last seen Caleb Danvers but the hate that welled within him hadn't changed.

"Hello, brother." Chase Collins whispered through his teeth in a growl. As he backed away into the shadows, deeper in the trees he kept his eyes on the couple. Thanks to Quinn, he would soon have the Parry girl in his clutches, another one of his plans to be back at Caleb and his friends. And when that time came he would use her to get to Caleb and the others.

If all went well, he would have Caleb, his little wife and most importantly the one he wanted most, the most powerful of all…the first born female of the Covenant.

If all went well, Chase Collins would end up with more power then he would have ever expected.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Covenant.

I do however own Rae, Rome, Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and any other unfamiliar characters.

OH MY GOSH! I will completely understand if all of you are angry! It's been SOO long since my last update. I don't mean to make excuses but things have not been good, so forgive me! I'm so sorry for the wait!

Okay, I want to thank _Ravvy B_, _gxaxbxbxy_, _J-21Way_, _truelovexx_, _Luli Cullen_,and _Angel of the Night Watchers_ for reviewing. I love that you guys take your time to review my story. I also want to thank everyone who reads Generation of Five for your patience, I know it's been forever.

* * *

Chapter 8

Dawning Realization

November arrived quicker then expected, bringing with it the colder weather of the winter season. In the two months that had past, Caleb had waited for Chase to show himself but there had been no sign of him…not even a whisper of anything abnormal happening. Caleb was beginning to think that the nightmare he'd had of his old enemy was just that. A bad dream.

_Maybe I over-reacted, maybe Chase isn't really back_, he told himself for the thousandth time that day. Caleb sat at a dark oak desk with his head resting in his hands and his eyes closed when a soft knock sounded on the door, startling him. He looked up to see River at the door.

"There you are," She smiled as she walked further into the room, closing the door behind her. "What are you doing cooped up in here?"

"Just thinking," He answered in a sigh as he sat back in his chair, watching his wife make her way toward him. River lifted herself to sit on the top of his desk and kicked her legs so they swung off the side. She cocked her head to one side.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Everything," Caleb shrugged as he placed a hand on his wife's thigh. Thought he kept telling himself that he'd been over-reacting for the past two hours, he still couldn't deny the feeling in his gut that told him to be prepared, to be ready, and that feeling scared him. He was not fearful for himself, he was fearful for the love of his life, River, his son and Pogue, Tyler, Reid, the girls and their kids that he considered as his family. Something rose in his chest and caused his eyes to tear up to the rim, threatening to spill over.

Thankfully River seemed to be in her own thoughts, so she didn't notice his watery eyes. "I think Cameron has a girlfriend." She said fondly and with a slight giggle.

Caleb's eyes cleared as he looked up into River's face. "How do you know?"

"Oh, well, um…I kind of…" River smiled sheepishly as she bit her lower lip gently. "Eavesdropped."

When Caleb opened his mouth to protest, River threw her hand over it and in a rush of words said, "I thought he was hiding something! He's been sort of different, haven't you noticed? I heard him talking to a girl on the phone. I don't know who but she seems sweet. I mean, she has to be…Cameron's never had a girlfriend before. Okay, sure he's had _girls_ and lots of dates but never kept one long enough to have an actual relationship." She took a deep breath and grinned. "Caleb, I think he's in love."

With his mouth covered Caleb grinned, all else forgotten. He reached up and pulled her soft hand off his lips. "Cameron's in love?" River nodded excitedly as she moved from the desk to his lap where she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. The creak of the door opening interrupted Caleb's next words.

The pair looked up to see Cameron peek his head into the study. "Hey, I'm heading out…" Cameron said, glancing up from his phone to see his parents share a look then smile knowingly back at him. "What?"

"Nothing." Caleb and River said together, their smiles never fading from their faces. "Have fun," His mother added as she fought to keep fit of giggles from passing her lips. Caleb knew that she also fought the urge to ask her son about this girl her son was seeing.

Cameron raised an eyebrow and without a word, closed the door.

River curled herself to her husbands chest, sighing in content when she finally got comfortable. "I wonder when we'll get to meet the lucky girl…"

* * *

Through the window of a small café, from the outside looking in, Quinn watched a beautiful brunette waiting alone at a small table. Her green eyes roamed the few faces that occupied the other tables, she twirled the cup she had in her hands impatiently. A small smile tugged at his lips as he caught her attention and a bright grin quickly found her face.

Peyton waved at him, motioning for him to join her inside. Quinn gave a nod and with his hands in his coat pockets, strolled into the café and took a seat next to her. "Hey."

"Bout time you got here," Peyton smiled and teasingly added. "You always seem to be late."

Quinn smirked back and pulled a piece of stray hair from her face. "I couldn't find a parking spot." Peyton looked around Quinn at the window and saw the parking lot that sat across from the coffee shop. She snorted in laughter at seeing the parking lot nearly empty. It was a nice Tuesday afternoon and most kids were in school but a select few, including Peyton, decided to not attend classes.

"So, skipper. What do your friends say about you skipping all of your classes to see me?" Quinn asked, taking a sip from Peyton's coffee cup.

Peyton rolled her eyes and sighed. "I usually don't skip school so Rae couldn't be happier. She says she's rubbing off on me."

Quinn chuckled as he stood up and waited for Peyton to follow. Once outside, Peyton took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the chilly fall air. She closed her eyes and smiled as it filled her lungs, bringing with it a feeling of delightful giddiness.

The sound of Quinn's voice caused her eyelids to flutter open. "So do you have any siblings?"

"Yeah," Peyton answered right away then corrected herself. "Well not technically, but I consider Rae family. Rome, Cameron and Tristan, too…they like to act like they're my brothers." She laughed. Though they weren't related by blood, to her Rae was her sister and Rome, Cameron and Tristan were her brothers. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"I wish. I've always wanted a brother," Quinn chuckled before adding, "But sadly, I'm an only child. I think I'd like the idea of having someone to hang out with all the time."

"Be careful what you wish for Mr. Sheel…with siblings comes little privacy and no secrets." Peyton pointed out, remembering all the times that Rae had pried into her life. It used to drive her crazy but as she got older, she'd gotten completely used to Rae, if not all of them, prying.

Quinn grabbed her hand in his, and glanced at the brown haired girl to see a soft blush on her cheeks. "You have any plans tonight? I was thinking that we could go out to dinner then hang out at my place."

_He wants to take me back to his place_, Peyton thought while her heart gave a tiny flutter. Trying to be sly, she peeked at him from the corner of her eye. God, he was gorgeous. He kept his eyes forward, but she could tell that his hazel eyes were trying to resist meeting hers. She never noticed before but in the light of the sun, Quinn's hair didn't look so golden, it looked darker and more brown as it hung lazily on his forehead.

She bit her lips. "I'd like that, really I would…but I kind of already have plans tonight with the girls. You know, like a girls night."

"That's fine, some other time then." Quinn said quickly then fell silent. His eyes refused to met hers as they continued walking in silence past many other couples that, like them were enjoying the start of the autumn season. Peyton was about to ask if he was okay when she heard her name being called from behind her. She turned to see Tristan and Rome walking her way. Her thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind. "Why the hell aren't you two in school?"

"We could ask you the same thing," Rome smirked, his eyes flicking from her to Quinn. Next to him, Tristan offered Quinn his hand. "Hey man, nice to see you again."

Quinn inclined his head and shook Tristan's outstretched hand. "Tristan, right? It's good to see you, too. And you too, Rome."

A small gust of wind swept Peyton's hair from her face making her shiver. Quinn pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulder for more warmth. She couldn't help but blush again, and to cover to random smile she felt tugging at her lips she asked, "What are you guys going to do tonight?"

Rome eyed the arm around Peyton's shoulder, met her eyes briefly and with a grin. "Boys night. You know, since you girls forbid us from hanging out with you all tonight we thought we'd have our own fun." Tristan grinned and bumped fists with the blonde Son of Ipswich.

"Don't have too much fun, Simms. You've got a girlfriend now." Peyton grinned then added, "Well, I guess you have a girl of your own don't you, Rome?"

"Possibly," Rome smirked then spoke to Quinn. "We're going to Nicky's tonight…you wanna meet us there?"

Quinn blinked in surprise. "Uh, yeah, sure."

"Cool. We're heading there around 9 so we'll see you then." Tristan said, before looking at his phone for the time. "We'd better get back to school before Mr. Fields notices how long we've been gone. See you two later." With that Peyton and Quinn bid farewell to the two Sons of Ipswich and watched them cross the street to where the parking lot was set.

"They didn't have to do that." Quinn said to Peyton as he slipped his arm from her shoulder and found her hand once again.

Peyton tugged on his hand, urging him to walk with her. "Trust me. They wouldn't have asked if they didn't want you there. They think you're pretty cool. But I guess they don't know you that well do they?" She expected him to crack a smile but when she looked at him, his expression looked sad and worn. "Are you mad at me or something?"

Quinn met her green eyes and cupped her cheek with his free hand. "I'm not mad, Peyton, I promise." He smiled reassuringly. "We can do dinner another night."

She searched his eyes for a moment, but no source of sadness or anger was left in his eyes or on his face. "Okay." Wanting to change the subject and move on, Peyton brought up a party, which was this coming weekend. "My aunt and uncle are going out for the weekend with their friends so Rome wants to through a party. He's a Garwin and Garwin's always throw the best parties and I'm inviting you to be my date for the evening. It's Saturday night."

"Sure, I'll go." He answered as he and Peyton stepped over a small concrete barrier that separated the parking-lot and the main street.

"Well don't sound too excited." Peyton laughed as she stopped in front of her Jeep and turned to him. "You don't have to come."

Quinn leaned forward and placed his hands on either side of Peyton, trapping her between himself and the car. "I know I don't have to," he said, moving his head so that it was merely inches from hers. Peyton felt her breath catch in her chest as his lips brushed hers gently. "But I want to."

"Good," Peyton grinned before their lips met. It was a sweet kiss and short, but it left her breathless. When she opened her eyes she saw him staring. "What?"

Quinn smiled. "Nothing," He moved away and opened the car door, allowing Peyton to jump into the driver's seat of her Jeep. Peyton set her stuff on the passenger seat and turned back to him.

"Have fun tonight, okay?" Peyton rested a hand on the side of his face, a sweet smile on her face. "You're one of us now so get used to the guys."

Quinn felt something twist his insides. He didn't know why but whatever it was, it made him feel sick.

"Hey, you okay?" Quinn looked up into Peyton's face and noticed the concern. He mentally shook himself.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." He reassured her, shutting the door and stepped back as the car engine roared to life. "Have a good time with your friends."

Quinn held up a hand and waved goodbye as Peyton pulled away. He watched her go, hoping that the strange feeling that she left him with would go with her. But it didn't. Quinn stood in an empty parking space with the gnawing sensation still sitting uncomfortably in his stomach.

* * *

With the feeling still in his gut, Quinn walked into Nicky's. The agitation he felt had grown since it had first started, moving from his stomach to his chest, making his breathing heavy and slightly labored. And the fact that knowing he could do nothing about it frustrated him even more, for he didn't know what the unpleasant feeling was. The music, loud chatter and thick smoke was almost too much for him. Too much was going on in his head, too many unknown emotions and feelings pulsed within his body. A group of girls huddled on the dance floor giggled loudly, the sound being like nails on chalk boards to him.

_I can't handle all of this right now_, he told himself as he looked around the crowded bar, feeling as if he would explode at any moment.

He turned hastily, ready to make a bee-line to the door when a softer, sweet voice popped into his head, _Have fun tonight, okay? You're one of us now… _

Quinn closed his eyes. And with his loss of his sight he blocked out the sound of everything around him. The rock music blaring from the speakers, the obnoxious giggles of the annoying girls. All of it was gone.

The only sound was the echo of Peyton's voice playing over and over in his head. After taking deep breath, he exhaled and opened his eyes. He stood there for a few seconds letting the calmness he now felt sink in deeper into his body, then made his way across dance floor and to the bar.

From there he could see the entire bar so he scanned the room looking for Rome and Tristan. "You want a drink?" A voice said from behind him. Quinn turned to see a pretty waitress leaning forward across the countertop, a flirty smile on her lips.

Quinn smiled back politely, barely taking a second glance at her. "I'll take a beer." The waitress pulled a beer out from under the counter and handed it to Quinn.

"Let me know if there's anything else you need," She said with a wink before strutting to the other side of the bar where several other customers waited.

"She's a cute girl," Someone said from next to him. He looked to his left and saw Tristan standing there with a smirk on his face.

Quinn eyed the pretty waitress and shrugged. "She's alright." He replied, aware of the fact that he said the right thing because Tristan relaxed his stance.

"Good answer," Tristan laughed as he pointed to the other side of the bar where he saw Rome and Cameron standing by the pool tables. "Ready to have a boys night? You know, since the girls ditched us and all." Quinn smirked as he followed the youngest Son of Ipswich, his thoughts swerving to Peyton at the mention of her.

Once Tristan and Quinn made it to the other two, Rome held up a pool stick to Quinn. "You any good?" He asked while Cameron handed the second stick he held to Tristan. "Baby boy could use a little help."

"Whatever dude, just keep your mouth shut and play." Tristan replied with a laugh then turned to Quinn. "Let's kick some ass, shall we?"

A little over a half an hour later, Rome laid his pool stick down on the green felt of the table, a triumphant smirk on his lips. "Sorry you had to be on the losing side. Maybe next time." His words were directed to Quinn but Tristan replied to his comment.

"You cheated…again." He accused, taking a seat next to Cameron who just grinned.

Curious as to how Rome could have possibly cheated he asked, "How can someone cheat at pool?"

Tristan shook his head, evading the question just as the pretty waitress from earlier set drinks down in front of them. "Four drinks for the three Sons of Ipswich and their cute new friend." She said eyeing Quinn as if he were a piece of delicious candy that she craved. She smirked flirtatiously before departing, making sure she was in their eye line if they wanted at good look at her from behind.

"Why does everyone call you that?" Quinn asked, taking a sip of his second beer. "Peyton told me that a lot of people refer to you guys as the Sons and Daughters of Ipswich but she didn't really explain why."

Tristan answered, sounding as if he were a professor giving a brief history lecture. "Our families: Simms, Danvers, Garwin and Parry were the first to settle Ipswich back in the 1600's. Up until us, each generation has had only a single child. Always a male. Peyton is the first female in our family's history, and Rome and Rae are the first set of twins. Our grandparents call us the Generation of Five, and that we are special because we broke the cycle. My dad said that as far back as he knows, our families have always been known as the Sons of Ipswich…or as in our case, the Sons and Daughters of Ipswich. I guess it stuck with us, too."

Quinn had little time to be fascinated because Cameron leaned forward and spoke to him. "So what are your intentions with Peyton Parry?" He asked in a business-like manner, folding his hands in front of him on the table. With a mouthful of beer, Quinn looked at the dark haired boy then glanced at the other two who were both looking at him as if waiting to hear the answer.

"Ummm," Quinn started, not knowing how to answer the question. If he avoided it or refused to answer it then they'd probably suspect something was up…but he couldn't exactly tell them the truth either.

"Dude, relax I'm just messing around with you. You're one of us now so I had to mess with you a little." Cameron chuckled and leaned back, draping an arm around the back of the empty chair next to him. "But whether your intentions are good or bad…which I hope that they're good, Peyton can take care of herself. She's a strong girl."

Though Quinn knew Peyton was strong and able to watch out for herself, he couldn't help but think that this situation was completely different. She never had a guy pretend and play games just so someone he was working for could get revenge or whatever the hell he wanted to do. He hated to admit it but if…no, when he brought Peyton to Chase, she wouldn't be able to defend herself. His stomach clenched, the unpleasant sensation returning, and his heart beat faster at the thought of Peyton even being around Chase.

At that moment, it dawned on him what the feeling he'd had for the past nine hours was: He cared for Peyton, and felt protective over her. He didn't even like the thought of her being in the same room with Chase. Something about the guy was off. He couldn't exactly place it but he was starting to think that he could be trouble.

Just then, he couldn't help but feel extremely relieved that Peyton already had plans for the night. Then a thought occurred to him and he smiled inwardly, pleased with himself. If he could keep Peyton away from Chase then that would lower his chances of getting to her. His smile faltered. That would mean he would have to stay away from her himself.

"You okay?" Quinn was pulled from his swirling thoughts at the sound of Rome's voice. His eyes focused on the blonde Son of Ipswich.

"Yeah," He replied after shaking himself back to reality. "Guess I'm more tired then I thought. I think I'll head out." He stood and offered a hand to each of them. "Thanks for tonight…I needed it. Maybe I'll see you guys around sometime."

"Dude, you're dating Peyton now," Rome said with a laugh. "You'll see us more than you want to, trust me."

Quinn nodded and with a forced smile, took his leave and made his way out to the parking lot where his Ducati was waiting. The engine purred to life beneath him as he pulled away from the spot and headed East towards home.

As always, the apartment complex was quiet and lifeless as he walked through the hall to the third door that sat on the left. With a few seconds pause to unlock the padlock, Quinn stepped through the doorway and into the dark entryway of the small foyer.

"Where's the girl?"

Quinn sighed wearily and set his bike helmet and keys on the small table next to him. He briefly looked at the man as he walked past Chase and further into his living room.

"Peyton had other plans," Quinn could feel his heart thudding against his chest as the he slide into the loose plan he formed on his ride home. "You know, I don't think she's interested any-"

"You have until the end of the month. I'm getting tired of waiting." Chase interrupted as he swept to the door swiftly and impatiently.

Tension formed in Quinn's chest. His original plan was falling through and it was falling fast. Chase wouldn't hear his excuses of why Peyton wasn't with him now, so he moved to the next plan, the one he was hesitant to use. "I'm not going to do it," he said with a strong, clear voice that surprised even himself. "Not unless you tell me _exactly_ why you want her and what you plan to do once you have her."

Chase halted his steps and looked over his shoulder. His blue eyes held amusement as he surveyed Quinn in one quick glance. "You've fallen for her…Oh, how pathetic. How cliché!" He threw his head back and let out a single, cold bark of cruel laughter. "The mysterious bad boy falls for the girl. But wait, isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Isn't _she_ supposed to fall for _you_?"

He ambled toward Quinn who stood with his eyebrows furrowed and his jaw clenched tightly as he watched each deliberately slow step. "Yes, she is. You were supposed to charm her, to swoon her, to make her skin tingle at your touch. You were supposed to make her fall in love with you. That's your job, that's what I'm paying you for. And if I don't have the girl soon, you _will _be sorry." His smile was menacing and threatening.

His stance tall, Quinn was nearly nose to nose with Chase before the blonde quickly spun on his heel and walked to the door, only pausing to say, "I changed my mind…you no longer have until the end of the month…you until the end of the week."

With that Chase slammed the door behind him, leaving Quinn tense and unable to move, his hazel eyes glaring in disbelief at the door.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Covenant.

I do however own Rae, Rome, Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and any other unfamiliar characters.

Thank you! Thank you, thank you to _Angel of the Night Watchers_, _Ravvy B_, _J-21Way_, and _Luli Cullen_ for their awesome reviews, those who favorited this story and the first one Four by Four annnnnnd to everyone who reads my stuff. =) You guys are great!

* * *

Chapter 9 

Bad News and Flawed Attempts

If someone would have given Quinn a chance to go back in time he would have taken it, no second thoughts. He would never have taken the job that Chase had given him. If he'd been smart he would have realized how dangerous Chase was, but the amount of money blinded him. And now because of his poor judgment and greediness, he was in an extremely bad position. He had put himself and Peyton in danger, and the only way to keep her safe, in his opinion, was to stop seeing her.

With a heavy heart, Quinn pulled his cell phone from his jacket pocket and slowly went through the contacts. He landed on Peyton's name, pressed send, then held it to his ear.

One ring…two rings…

By the third ring he knew she wouldn't pick up so he waited for the beep.

"Hey, Peyton. It's me," Quinn started reluctantly. "Listen, we can't see each other anymore. I don't want to lead you on…" He lied, hating himself for everything he'd done and now having to lie to her. But his next words were true and completely heart-felt. "I don't want to hurt you. And the best way to not hurt you is for you to stay away from me. I'm sorry."

He hung up quickly, closed his eyes and collapsed to the couch with his hands covering his face. He couldn't help but think that Peyton wasn't the only person he was hurting, he was also hurting her friends…his friends.

* * *

"Oh, P! You've got a voicemail," Rae yelled down the stairs where Peyton, Bethany and Kelsey were getting popcorn and drinks. "It's from Quinn."

Peyton's head popped around the corner, a smile on her face as she raced up the stairs and grabbed her phone from her best friend.

"Looks like he couldn't stand a night of not talking to you." Rae teased, making Peyton roll her eyes as she walked into her room.

Only a few minutes passed before Bethany and Kelsey made their way up the stairs. "Peyton talking to her man?" Kelsey grinned, handing a third bowl of popcorn and a can of soda to Rae as Bethany pushed past the two and bounded into the room. She stopped short nearly causing the two other girls to run into her.

"Oh my God, what's wrong?" Bethany asked worriedly, seeing Peyton sitting cross-legged on her bed, her phone in her limp hands and tears in her eyes. She shrugged and wiped away a tear that had fallen onto her check.

"Quinn doesn't want to see me anymore," She stated, blinking fast to clear the tears that threatened to spill over. She laughed once with no humor. "He said he didn't want to lead me on."

Kelsey shifted her weight to one foot, a look of complete shock and disbelief on her pretty face. "Oh my…" were the only words she was able to find. Bethany just stared with her mouth hanging slightly open. That was the last thing either of them had expected her to say.

Rae crawled onto the bed and grabbed her friend in her arms, not a word passed her lips. Nothing she could say would help how she felt. Peyton had fallen for Quinn plain and simple, and now here she sat with a bruised heart.

That moment, Bethany tossed a bowl on the ground sending popcorn all over the floor and grabbed her car keys and purse. "Okay, he needs an ass whoopin'. Who's with me?"

Kelsey's hand flew into their air at the same time Rae's did. Peyton let out a pathetic little laugh and fell onto Rae's lap. "Guys suck." She said plainly and huffed in frustration. She didn't know why Quinn had suddenly gone hot and cold but it confused her like hell. Just earlier that day she had been with him, it felt right until…

It hit her like a ton of bricks right in the stomach. He ended it with her because she didn't go back to his house with him. He had expected her to drop everything she had and jump into bed with him. _What a typical guy_, she thought. At that point, all of her sadness had been replaced with anger. She rubbed her eyes hard, not wanting to waste her tears on someone like that. "Screw him."

Rae petted her hair and nodded. "If I ever see him, may I have permission to hit him in the face?" Bethany and Kelsey murmured 'me too' as Peyton gave her permission with a nod.

"Let's get this movie going. I want to get my mind off it." She said, sitting up and settled back into the mound of fluffy pillows that decorated her bed. The lights were switched off and the other girls joined her and Rae on the bed, all glad that it was big enough to fit them comfortably. The opening credits rolled, the room was silent but a voice entered Peyton's mind.

_You okay? And don't you dare try to lie to me_, came Rae's voice filled with concern.

Peyton sighed inwardly. _No, not really but I will be. It's not like I was in love with him or anything, I just liked him a lot. I guess I should have expected this to happen sooner or later…he is a few years older then me. I promise. _She felt her best friend's blue eyes on her. _Rae, stop staring at me, I'm not lying. I swear I'll be fine. _

Peyton felt the link she shared with the other Daughter of Ipswich ebb away, leaving her with her own thoughts, and unfortunately her thoughts kept going back to Quinn…

* * *

Saturday night came swiftly, the week days and school blended as they passed. It was now a little over an hour before the party started and Peyton sat in her car staring at a building of apartment complexes, ordering her feet to move. She'd come here for a reason and she wasn't going to leave until she went through with it.

After convincing herself to step out of the vehicle, Peyton made her way into the building as her mind rehearsed the speech she prepared on her drive across town. It only took her a few minutes to find the right floor and door number, so she raised a shaky fist and knocked on the door.

Footsteps were heard from behind the door before it opened, Quinn stood in the doorway. He blinked in surprise at the sight of Peyton, his eyes grew wide then looked up and down the hallway as he spoke quickly. "You shouldn't be-"

"Shut up," Peyton interrupted, the temper she'd felt for the last few days pouring out into only a few sentences. Her original speech was forgotten. "I just wanted to tell you that you're an ass. Just because I didn't jump into bed with you when you snapped your fingers, you felt the need to get rid of me. What a typical guy thing to do. I like you, Quinn," She stopped to laugh humorlessly. "No, I _liked_ you, and I thought you liked me. Maybe you did but obviously not enough to keep me around…"

She waited for him to respond but all he did was stare. Peyton shifted her weight uncomfortably, and glanced away from his hazel eyes. Now that she was finished with her ranting and her anger was deflated, she felt silly and childish. Here she was, standing in front of the guy she thought she was falling for, telling him off, calling him names, giving him a piece of her mind and she didn't even feel better.

A look of pain crossed Quinn's face but he masked it quickly, his handsome features turning hard and cold. "You need to leave now, Peyton."

Her green eyes narrowed, piercing the face of the man that stood before her. "Fine." She snapped and spun away from him, walking away from him, feeling worse then she had before. She now wished she hadn't shown up at all.

The drive home was silent. She didn't speak, she didn't think, she didn't even turn on the radio.

A half an hour later, Peyton walked blindly into the Garwin household and was instantly greeted by Rome, Cameron, Bethany, Kelsey and Tristan who stood in the living room, dressed and ready to party. She waved to them and gave a forced smile but continued up the stairs to the second floor where Rae's room was. She walked through the door to see her best friend leaning over a mirror putting lip-gloss on.

Rae's blue eyes caught Peyton in the reflection and she smiled. "Hey, there you are. Where've you been? I went to your house…" Her sentence faded as she took in Peyton's expression and twisted around to face the brunette. "You went to see him."

It wasn't a question, but Peyton nodded her head. "I shouldn't have. Telling him off wasn't as satisfying as I thought it would be." She tossed her purse on the bed walked to her blonde friend who was holding her arms open wide. Rae pulled her into a hug once she was in arms reach.

She knew Peyton was strong and never liked it when people tried to lift her spirits but she let the words fall from her mouth. "I'm sorry Quinn did this to you. You don't deserve being treated like that," she said, "But trust me, soon he'll realize that it was a mistake and that you're the best thing that could have ever happened to him. If he wants to give you up it's his loss. I don't want you pining over a loser who doesn't see how amazing you are."

Peyton couldn't help but grin as her arms tightened around the blonde, hugging her tightly. "You're my best friend, you know that right?"

"Of course I know that," Rae laughed and stepped out of Peyton's embrace. "Okay, now I want you to promise me that you will have fun tonight. If I don't see a smile on your face at all times, I will be tempted to kick your skinny ass."

Feeling better, Peyton nodded at the exact same time the doorbell rang.

"PARTY!" The two yelled together and raced from the room to join the others.

* * *

By midnight it seemed like the front yard of the Garwin Manor was covered in cars. And while most students were in the house where the cold could not reach them, others braved the autumn chill in the back yard where a small bonfire burned within the fire pit. It's hot flames flickered and cracked against the charred wooden logs. Rome, Peyton, Bethany, and Rae huddled near the heat of it, plastic cups cradled in their hands.

"Okay, I have to ask," Bethany started, leaning in closer to Rome. "How did you guys do it? How did you get all of your parents to go out at once?"

"Simple. All we said was that they needed a night out." Rome answered matter-of-factly as he wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulder.

Bethany gave a small laugh and shook her head. "All I have to say is that if it were anyone else, it would have never worked." She faced Rome and placed a soft kiss on his lips that turned right into a mini make-out scene.

"And that's my cue to leave," Rae laughed as she turned from the couple and her best friend to head back inside the house.

Inside, Rae walked down a small hallway lined with many faces but she was looking for just one in particular. She passed the living room and glanced in. The sight she saw made her want to vomit and laugh at the same time. The spawn of Kira Snider, Kacy, Lacy and Tracy Becklin were in the middle of the made up dance floor, trying way too hard to look sexy. Instead they looked like red-headed strippers. _Well, if the shoe fits… _Rae smirked as she scanned the room one more time. That was when she spotted him. Cameron Danvers stood within a small group of guys from Spenser's swim team. Rae strolled over to them and caught their attention with a flip of her golden hair.

"Hey boys," she said with a flirty smile, her gaze bouncing from one boy to the next. "I need to borrow Danvers for a second. There's a cute girl that's had her eye on him for a while and I'm pretty sure she wants to take advantage of him."

The boys around Cameron hooted and hollered, laughing in approval as he was pulled away from them by the small blonde. Before Cameron could ask what she was doing, Rae turned around and whispered, "Wait a few minutes then meet me in my room."

Cameron smirked as he watched his girlfriend climb the stairs two at a time. He waited only a few seconds rather than minutes before jogging up the steps after her. He entered Rae's room to see her standing at the edge of her bed, grinning.

"I couldn't wait." He said, closing the door behind him with a snap then strode the few steps that separated him from Rae. His lips crashed onto hers in a heated kiss that was long overdue.

"I've been wanting to do that all night," Rae laughed when they parted, both breathing heavy. She smiled as Cameron's arms snaked around her. She could feel his chest heave up and down as he inhaled and exhaled, the rhythm making her want to fall asleep.

"Let's tell them." He said. Rae's eyelids fluttered open. "Let's tell your brother, Tristan, Kelsey… everyone. Let's tell everyone about us."

Rae sighed and looked up at him. He looked so hopeful but she couldn't help but feel a little frustrated with him. "Cameron, we've talked about this before…" She rubbed a hand over her face, the content feeling was slowly morphing into what she recognized as irritation. It seemed like they had the same conversation almost every time they were together.

"Come on, Rae. I just want us to be together," He rubbed his thumb over her lips then rested it on her cheek. "I want to be with you without worrying about being caught."

"I thought you liked the thrill?" Rae teased, trying to lighten the mood but a smile didn't break across his face as she expected it to. "You know I wish we could tell them, but we can't."

Cameron let out a frustrated sigh and dropped his hands from her face. "Why not? I hate that I can't kiss you in the hallways when I see you. I hate that I have to lie to Tristan when he asks where I go when I see you."

"I wish this wasn't so complicated…" Rae said, sitting down on her bed.

"You are the only one making it complicated," Cameron said, his voice serious. "You're so negative! All you think of is how people will react and every time you do you think their reaction will be bad. Believe it or not, Rae, not everything revolves around the Sons and Daughters of Ipswich… no one will care that we're dating."

Rae felt frustrated tears pool in her eyes as he took a seat next to her. He was right, she did care how everyone would react. She wanted her friends and family to approve, but the paranoia of them not wanting her to be with Cameron stuck in her mind. She couldn't help but think what if. What if everyone objected? What if her dad didn't want her to be with Cameron? Rae wasn't the kind of girl to go against her parents, so if they didn't want her to be with Cameron for the sake of the Covenant then she would have to end things. She couldn't let that happen, so she set her jaw and turned to her dark haired boyfriend. "This is the way it has to be if you want to be with me. Don't you want to be with me?"

"Of course I want to be with you, Rae." Cameron placed his hand on the back of her neck and kissed her lips gently then laid his forehead against hers with his eyes closed. He took a deep breath, dreading his next words. "But I can't sneak around anymore. I don't want to, I'm done with it. I'm over the lying, too. So, if you can't tell anyone, if no one can know-"

"Peyton knows." Rae interrupted desperately. A slight panic had started to build within her chest as she searched his face.

"She's the only one. I'm tired of us being just a secret. I can't do it anymore." Cameron said as Rae slowly stood up and stepped away from him slowly.

"Are…are you," She paused, not wanting to finish her own sentence. The panic in her chest had lodged itself in her throat, making her unable to speak right. A single tear ran down her cheek as she formed the words on her tongue. "Are you breaking up with me?"

She waited for his response but his silence was enough of an answer for her. Shaking her head, Rae turned from him and without another word, walked out of her room. She stopped halfway down the hallway and turned back to the door, half expecting Cameron to run from her room to stop her… but he didn't come. She fought back a sob and forced her tears to not spill as she made her way down the stairs where she headed for the kitchen. She knew the alcohol was of good supply… after all, it was her brothers party.

Ignoring the others that surrounded her, Rae stuck her hand into one of the many random coolers that sat on the granite countertops. Her fingers closed around a bottle and without seeing what it was, she opened it and took two large gulps. She coughed in surprise as the liquid burned and scratched at her throat painfully. She looked at the bottle in her hands and blinked: Vodka. Rae had never been a big drinker and she was a light-weight so it probably wasn't a good idea to drink this liquor. But to be honest her heart hurt too much to care.

_Better a numb mind than a broken heart, _Rae said to herself as she continued to guzzle the Vodka down and within several minutes the bottle was nearly empty.

Feeling more then slightly buzzed, Rae made her way to the back yard where the majority of the people now seemed to be. Purposefully avoiding the corner of the deck where she saw Tristan and Peyton, the blonde stumbled down the few steps nearly falling to the ground. A pair of strong arms caught her around the middle.

"Whoa, easy there." A deep voice said from above her as the arms steadied her. Rae's glossy eyes looked up into the face of Drew Caldwell. He grinned as he set her up right on her feet though he kept a hand around her waist. A single thought floated hazily through her mind: Cameron.

_Cameron doesn't want you anymore… _A disoriented little voice told her slyly.

"Hey handsome," Rae said with slurred words, snaking her arms around Drew's shoulders and pulled herself close to him. He smirked and in return, placed his hands very low on her back.

From where she stood on the deck with Tristan, Peyton's eyes skimmed over crowd outside and saw something she did not expect. Right in front of her, her glossy-eyed best friend was wrapped in the arms of a guy that was certainly not Cameron Danvers.

"What the hell is she doing?" It was then she noticed that a bottle of Vodka that hung loosely in her friends hand.

Tristan pulled his eyebrows together in confusion and followed her gaze. A slow grin crossed his face as he noticed Rae and Drew wrapped in each others arms, their faces close. "Nice, it's about time."

"Shut up, Tristan." Peyton snapped, shoving her drink in his hand and hurried to her best friend's side. "Rae, can I talk to you for a second?" She asked, but didn't even wait for a reply before grabbing Rae's arm and roughly pulled her from Drew's embrace. Ignoring her friends protests, Peyton dragged Rae back into the house through the kitchen and into the study where no one else was allowed to be.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She asked after closing the door and setting the blonde on the couch so she wouldn't fall over. "You're wasted off your ass."

"I'm just having fun!" Rae laughed drunkenly and lifted the bottle to her lips, ready to finish the last of the Vodka.

Peyton narrowed her eyes and snatched the bottle from her friend and tossed it into the garbage can that sat behind her. "You were flirting with Drew. And I'm pretty sure that if I didn't stop you, you'd have your tongue down his throat right now." Peyton shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "Did you forget about your boyfriend? Just to remind you, his name is Cameron Danvers, not Drew Caldwell. I can't believe you-"

"Cameron broke up with me."

Peyton stopped, her mouth hanging open for the words she didn't get to finish. Maybe she was hearing things, but it sound to her like Rae had just said Cameron broke up with her…

"He broke up with me." Rae repeated more somberly this time. Her blood shot eyes filled with the tears she had tried to repress. "He said that he can't be with me unless we make it public. He doesn't want to sneak around anymore…said that if no one can know then he doesn't want to be with me. He thinks that I'm too worried about what other people think." She huffed and looked down at her lap.

"Well maybe…" Peyton paused, wondering if she should say what she was really thinking. She decided it was best to be honest. Rae was her best friend. "Maybe he's right, Rae."

Rae's head snapped up to stare at her friend. "What?"

"Well, he thinks that you worry too much about what other people think… and he's right. You shouldn't care what everyone will think or say about you and Cameron. If Rome and the others could handle you dating Alex then I'm sure they can deal with you being with Cameron." She shrugged and continued. "Cameron is ten times better for you then he was. Cam's a sweetheart to you. Go talk to him and just admit that you're wrong."

The blonde's blue eyes narrowed into small slits as she glared angrily at Peyton. She stood quickly but nearly fell over as she did. Peyton moved forward to help but Rae shoved the brunette away forcefully. "Screw you." And without a second glance, left Peyton in the study by herself.

* * *

After the tantrum Rae threw, Peyton went to find Cameron but unlike her best friend, Cameron didn't want to say one word about the break up. Instead, he grabbed a beer bottle and chugged it down as he turned his back on her and walked away.

Annoyed with everyone and in a bad mood, the Daughter of Ipswich left the party. Outside in the cloudy mist of the late night, she walked quietly to her house that sat right down the street. She shivered and picked up her pace, realizing she was much more tired then she thought.

Once in the safety of her warm bedroom, Peyton undressed and pulled on pajama pants and white t-shirt. A sleepy yawn escaped her as she crawled into bed and laid her head on the pillow. Just as her eyes started to slide shut, a soft beep sounded from her phone on the nightstand. She grabbed it to see she had a text from Rae. It read: _Sorry, P. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm drunk, pissed and to top it off, I'm PMS-ing…_

Peyton smiled as she sent her friend back a message and curled back under the blankets. After three deep breaths with her eyes closed, she was pulled willing into her dreams…

The sound of thunder clapping woke Peyton with a start, causing her to sit up quickly in her bed. Soon she realized that her breathing came swift and shallow, she ran a hand through her dark hair and noticed that sweat was pooled along her hair line. She groaned and glanced at the clock. It was 3:15a.m. She had only been asleep for less than three hours but the heaviness she felt on her chest and through her body felt as if she had been sleeping for days.

Wanting to shake the jittery feeling, Peyton climbed out of bed and walked to her window. She pulled back the maroon colored curtains, revealing a relentless storm that had brewed outside during the early hours and it had already started to pour. A thick curtain of rain bounced off her window, making a pitter-patter rhyme that could easily put her back to sleep if it weren't for the anxiousness she felt.

She sighed as she rested her head against the cool glass and stared out into the pitch black night, though she couldn't see a thing. A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, shedding light onto the trees that grouped themselves outside, far in her backyard.

Peyton's heart gave a tiny painful lurch in her chest. Right where she had been staring, just at the outskirts of the trees stood a tall figure, shadowed by the blowing branches, but just as quickly as the light came, it was gone. Peyton squinted her drowsy eyes and focused on the spot where she had seen the dark form. As she waited for the light to return to the sky, her heart pounded hard against her chest. It only took several seconds before the night was lit once again. Where Peyton had expected to see the figure from seconds earlier, this time she saw nothing.

_I'm seeing things,_ she told herself, her mind even sounding tired. She shook her head and laughed as her heart rate slowed. Taking a deep calming breath, Peyton backed away from the window, letting the curtain fall across it like a wave.

She turned around, rubbing her sleepy eyes and froze. Someone was in her room. A pocket of air built itself up inside her lungs, preparing a massive, earsplitting scream as the figure rushed forward out of the shadows with eyes darker then a moonless night.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Covenant.

I do however own Rae, Rome, Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and any other unfamiliar characters.

Wow, Wow, Wow! I know what you are all thinking and I'm sorry! It really has been forever since I last updated! Forgive me! (Again!) I hope this Chapter makes up for the wait. But I wanted to thank _Luli Cullen_, _Angel of the Night Watchers_, _Ravvy B_, _Falon-Jareth101_ for their lovely reviews! Thank you guys so much! And keep 'em coming! Okay here it is! Finally!

* * *

Chapter 10

Confessions of a Dream

It was several hours after the party had ended. Cameron sat in his room, his mind completely cleared of the amount of alcohol he'd consumed early that night. All he wanted was to sleep again but the nightmare that had just woken him with a start refused to let him shut his eyes for the second time that night. He glanced at the clock and was surprised to see that it was nearly 5 o'clock in the morning. He'd been just sitting there for more than an hour.

Knowing he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, Cameron stood from his bed and allowed his heavy feet to carry him wherever they wanted.

Soon he found himself standing in front of the large, dark double doors of his father's study. He knocked gently before opening them and stepped inside to see Caleb sitting at the desk with a book in his hand. Caleb smiled at the sight of his only son. "Hey bud, you're up early. Couldn't sleep?"

Cameron shook his head and took a seat after closing the doors behind him. "No," He said in a voice that he realized was slightly shaky though it went unnoticed by his father. A silence fell between the two as Caleb returned to the book in front of him, content with the quiet.

"Dad?" Cameron started after several minutes, gaining Caleb's attention once more. "Are there…I mean, do you think there are others who have powers? Not powers like mom or Aunt Rylee…but like the powers you have?"

Caleb felt his heart sputter then continue in a race that was more than uncomfortable within his chest. He tried to keep his voice steady as he leaned forward and asked, "Is there a reason why you are asking this?" Caleb then noticed that his son looked exhausted and his face was pale. Worry started to settle in with the panic that was now shimmering in his veins.

"This dream I had…well, it was more like a nightmare. I wasn't really in it, I was kinda watching it…like a movie, if that makes sense." Cameron shifted in his chair, turning his gaze from his father to his hands and let the rest of his words out in a rush. "It was about Peyton. She was in her room but she wasn't alone…there was this guy. He was so powerful. I could _feel_ his power. It was strong enough to wake me." Cameron broke off as a shiver raked his body, the vivid images sent fear through him as he remembered the dark stranger's face.

"Cameron, what happened in the dream? You need to tell me what happened." Caleb was now standing and there was an urgency in both his voice as well as in his dark eyes.

Feeling the need to know flooding from his father, Cameron summed it up in three words. "He took Peyton."

"Oh my god." Caleb felt his knees buckle but he held himself upright. "Go get your mother. Hurry."

Cameron pulled his eyebrows together in confusion. "Why? Dad, what's going on?"

"Go get her!" Caleb yelled more forcefully than he meant to and watched his son run from the room. He quickly reached for the phone that sat on his desk when it rang noisily at him. "Hello?"

"Caleb," Came Blake's voice in a sob. "Peyton's missing."

* * *

The living room of the Parry's estate was silent and tense. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts of what had just occurred not two hours ago. Blake sat in the arms of her husband, fresh tears falling swiftly down her face. Pogue rocked her gently as he whispered unheard things in her ear, trying desperately to comfort her. River, Rylee, and Paige also sat somberly next to their husbands with troubled expressions.

Tyler shook his head in disbelief as he held Rylee close to him. "Chase can't be back. He can't be. Couldn't it just have been a dream?"

"Ty, Peyton is missing," Pogue said in a forced calm voice. "It's the only explanation. Cameron's dream-" He glanced at the dark haired boy and corrected himself. "His vision showed it. And by his description it sounds too much like Chase. It can't be a coincidence."

Cameron shifted his stance but kept his gaze on the ground. Earlier, after he'd woke up his mother, River told Cameron, and everyone else, that his dream wasn't a dream…it was a vision. As he stood now, he still couldn't believe that on top of all the gifts he had inherited from his parents, visions were one of them.

"It's my fault this happened," Cameron started, tears pooling in his eyes. He was glad Rae wasn't in the room to see him cry. She was in the kitchen with Tristan and Rome, too upset to hear anything about her kidnapped best friend. "I could have…If I knew…"

"Cameron, honey, it's not your fault." River stood up and crossed the room to pull her son into a motherly embrace. "You didn't know your dream was a vision. You've never had one before. No one could have known this would happen."

Tyler nodded his head in agreement. "Your mom's right. No one knew that he was back."

"I did." Everyone's head snapped to Caleb at his words. He lifted his head from his hands, his dark eyes sad.

"Caleb?" Paige asked as Reid wrapped an arm around her. She didn't understand what he was saying. How could he have known?

Caleb took a deep breath before speaking. "I mean I knew he was coming back. I knew because I had a dream a while ago. He looked the same, like he hadn't aged a bit." He paused to look around the room, but not at the faces of his family and friends. He avoided direct eye contact. "I knew it wasn't just a dream though, it was Chase warning me that he was coming back. But after a while I thought I was just being paranoid, so I was unsure-"

"Are you sure now?" Blake interrupted Caleb, her voice filled with fury. "Because of you that freak has my daughter!"

"Blake!" River cautioned. "I know this is hard for you but you shouldn't lash out like that."

Blake narrowed her eyes at her friend. "Like any of you know how this feels. Your children are still here and safe! If Caleb would have told us about the dream when it happened we could have prevented this whole situation!"

A small but loud argument broke out among the mothers and fathers of the Covenant. Rae, Tristan and Rome rushed into the room at the sound of a commotion to see everyone on their feet and yelling.

Rae started crying again and buried her face in Rome's chest who wrapped an arm around her protectively. Tristan stood, staring in disbelief not knowing what to do. Cameron was trying to calm down his mom and Blake, the two mothers yelling in eachothers faces while Caleb and Pogue had a heated discussion of their own. Paige, Rylee, and Tyler shouted over them, making the situation much worse as they tried to play peace makers. Though Reid, who oddly enough usually started the fights, stepped forward and stood tall.

"Stop it! All of you!" He bellowed over the enraged crowd. The yelling ceased as all eyes turned to the blonde. "Dammit guys, this is what Chase would want… for us to argue and separate. Now I'm not saying what Caleb did was right, he should have told us the moment he had the dream," Reid's blue eyes landed on Caleb for a brief moment before passing over him to the others, "but that's in the past now. So instead of yelling and blaming each other we should form a plan. Peyton is God knows where right now and Chase has her so she could be anywhere. But if we stop fighting then we can go find that bastard and kill him once and for all."

Everyone was silent once more, no one knowing what to say. Apologetic looks were thrown around but no one seemed to want to say the words.

"Reid's right, we need to form a plan." Pogue ran a hand through his hair and took a deep, calming breath. "We need to find my daughter, but were do we start?"

"Search parties," Tristan answered, excited to be able to help. "We can form search parties and start looking in town first."

Tyler seemed to be thinking the same thing. "We can break up in four teams of two-"

Rae pulled her eyebrows together as a lone tear slid down her cheek. "What, no! We are helping you. We can do six teams; me, Rome, Tristan and…and Cameron."

"Absolutely not. You four are going to stay out of this." Reid said firmly as he and the others moved from the living room to the foyer. "Go into town where there's a crowd, someplace where Chase wouldn't dare to make a scene."

Knowing it would be pointless arguing, Tristan, Rae, and Rome piled into Cameron's car with Paige and took off toward Ipswich to find a well populated area. Paige decided to go with them to make sure they made it safely. When they did she would just teleport back to the house.

When Paige had returned, they settled down in the living room once more to figure out where to start looking first.

"She could be anywhere…" Pogue said, looking at a map of Ipswich that lay on the coffee table in front of him. He bit roughly at his lip, a habit he picked up when he was nervous or anxious.

"It's been nearly twenty years." Tyler said, shaking his head. "Twenty years since that night at Putman Barn. There's been no sign of him since, then all of a sudden he's back. Why would he come back here after so long?"

Reid straightened from where he stood and with a somber voice. "Revenge. What else? Caleb kicked his ass and he's bitter about it. All he wanted was Power and the last time he tried, he didn't get it."

Blake's heart gave a lurch at the blonde's words and the worry she felt grew to something more. Panic now fluttered wildly in her stomach. "Why would he want Peyton?" She asked but really knew the answer deep down, though she didn't want to say it. She knew why Chase had taken her daughter. Tears formed in her eyes and she walked to her husband who gathered her in his arms. Pogue kissed his wife's head as he too fought to not cry.

"It's Chase, he'll settle for any kind of revenge…" Caleb answered as he pulled on a dark gray jacket, eager for the search to begin. He knew it was his fault that Peyton was missing. If only he told everyone, even if it all ended up being just some stupid dream, they could have been prepared. The thought of Peyton in the clutches of Chase Collins made Caleb's blood boil and all the more eager for his enemy to die. If he felt like this, he didn't even want to think of how this situation was effecting Pogue and Blake.

He glanced at the couple and felt guilty. "We'll start in town then work our way out. We'll find her." Caleb said, his voice confident but deep down he knew that it wouldn't be easy. This was all a game to Chase, and Peyton's life was just a playing piece, something that could be dealt with if he tired of the game.

Paige grabbed Reid's hand in hers, a blue scarf wrapped around her neck to fight off bitter cold of the night. "We'll start looking by the docks near the water. If we find anything you'll hear from me." Her eyes flickered to River, Rylee and Blake as she spoke the last part, but held Blake's gaze. "Be strong, Blake. We'll find her."

With words unable to find their way past the large lump in her throat, Blake settled for a single nod. She watched as the iris of Paige's eyes flash, the color shifting from blue to a glowing neon pink then disappeared on the spot with her husband.

"We're looking near the dells, maybe even check the cave that Demon used for his hide-out." Rylee announced as her and Tyler stepped passed Pogue, Caleb, River and Blake. She reached out and rubbed Blake's shoulder as she passed and gave her a small smile before walking out the door.

"Caleb," Blake started, lifting her gaze to the dark haired man in front of her. "Listen I'm sorry about before-"

"No," Caleb interrupted. "You have a right to be furious with me, Blake. You don't have to apologize. I promise you, he will pay for this."

Blake tried to smile though she found her eyes wet again. She blinked several times to clear the tears and sucked in a deep, steadying breath. Her face set in determination, an easy thing to do when someone you love life is at stake.

"Let's find him," She said in a hard voice that was cruel and specifically meant for one single man. "And then kill him."

* * *

Before the kids knew it, night had draped its black veil over the small town of Ipswich. Rome, Tristan, Cameron and Rae had spent half of their day sitting in the back of a small café right in the heart of town. It was more populated than usual, especially for a late Sunday evening. It was the perfect place to be.

The people that surrounded them, laughed and talked, all carefree with nothing to worry about. Their smiles looked too bright, their giggles and laughter seemed way out of place and obnoxiously loud. They knew nothing of what was happening, of the heavy dark cloud that hung over the two Sons and Daughter of Ipswich. The third Son of Ipswich returned to the table with his cell phone clutched in his hand and took his seat next to Cameron.

"That was Kelsey," Tristan said. "She was wondering why you and-" He stopped himself short and quickly rephrased his sentence, not wanting to mention Peyton in front of the still upset Rae. "She was, uh, wondering if you had your phone on you. She said she tried calling you a few times."

Rae looked up from the cup of green tea that sat between her hands. "I must have forgot my phone at home. And Tristan, it's okay if you say her name, you know?"

Tristan nodded and fell silent. To be honest, he was actually the one who didn't want to say her name aloud. It was strange not having her here, not knowing where she was or if she was okay. He hated sitting around, knowing that he could help his parents find his missing friend.

"I don't get it," Rome started as he rubbed a hand roughly over his face. "I don't get how this has happened. He could have gone for anyone, why her? Why Peyton and not you're dad, Cameron?"

"You're right." Cameron glanced around the café before leaning in close to the others. "This Chase guy is supposedly out for revenge on my dad so Rome's right, why not my dad? Or even me for that matter."

"I don't know," Tristan shrugged after several minutes of thought. It made no sense to any of them. Why would this Chase person go after Peyton if he was out for revenge on Caleb? Why wouldn't he just go straight to the person he wanted? Though they knew little of the situation now, the Sons and Daughter of Ipswich planned to find out as much as they could before the day ended.

Rae sat up and pushed blonde strands of hair out of her face. She took a big deep breath, trying her hardest to keep the river of tears that threatened to spill at bay. She figured she'd done enough crying for a life time and knew that remorse wouldn't be what her best friend wanted. Peyton would have wanted Rae to be strong and smart. "So what should we tell everyone? I mean, we can't really say that Peyton has been kidnapped by a psychopath warlock or witch or whatever he his…"

Tristan opened his mouth to speak when the voice of Rome and Rae's mother interrupted them. "Kids, it's safe to come home now." Paige stood at the end of their table a look worry still on her beautiful features. Her blue eyes darted around the room as if expecting an attack at any moment. "Let's hurry," She added when none of them made a move.

"Mom, did you find her?"

Paige shook her head at her son. "No, Rome, we haven't found her. Not yet, but please we have to hurry home." Rae stood immediately and was quickly joined by Tristan, Rome and Cameron who followed Paige out to the parking lot where Cameron's car was parked. Rome did not recognize any of the other cars in the lot so he knew that his mother had teleported to the café.

The ride home was just as tense and silent as how it had been earlier that morning at the Parry's house. Thankfully unlike the ride into town, the drive back seemed much faster. Most likely due to the fact that Cameron had the gas pedal to the floor, going well over the speed limit. The trees outside the windows flew by but Paige didn't seem to mind her nephew's reckless driving, she was just as anxious to get home as he was.

Soon, the Simms Manor was in clear sight and Cameron barely brought the car to a full stop when Paige jumped out and quickly ushered them into the foyer of the large house.

"Okay, what's going on?" Tristan asked as the door shut securely behind him, with dead bolt and all. He then noticed that three other people stood at the foot of the staircase in the front room. He recognized the older two as Kevin and Lucy. Kevin was a Keeper of Prophecies, his position helped his mother, Paige, Rylee and Blake learn about their powers when they first received them at age thirteen. The third and younger one, he had never seen before. He was shorter than Tristan but thick as a tree trunk and looked extremely dangerous. Tristan eyed the three cautiously. "What are they doing here?"

"Nice to see you, too," Kevin said with a gentle smile before answering the blue eyed boy's question. "We are here to protect you. Lucy and I have placed protective spells and crystals around this house, and Thorin here," Kevin motioned to the thick man next to him, "is a colleague of mine. He is a highly trained Watcher."

"A Watcher is what you would call a bodyguard or a warrior," Lucy explained, seeing the looks of confusion etched in the teenagers faces. "He will protect you at any length."

Rae knew that the little color that was left in her face had been drained at the old woman's words. "We have powers of our own and there are twelve of us. Rome, Tristan, Cameron and I have the strongest powers the Covenant has ever seen, why would we need a warrior?" She knew that her question was running through everyone's minds except for the adults, who had clearly been informed beforehand.

"Chase Collins is a powerful warlock," Kevin explained seriously. "He has been known to be dead for more than twenty years and has come back ageless, and it seems that he is more powerful than ever. It is very rare to hear of a man so powerful that they can manipulate one's dream as Chase did when he wanted his return to be known. It is unknown of just how great his powers are, so he's a great threat." His eyes flashed to Caleb as he finished. Caleb only held the old man's gaze for a second before shifting his eyes to the others around the room.

"The extra protection is needed and necessary. It's better to be safe than sorry. We will all be staying here at the same house and I don't want anyone to be alone no matter what." He said then looked to Tyler who continued for him.

"You will go to school as normal but you will return here right after classes let out. One of us," Tyler motioned to the adults in the room before continuing. "Will be there to meet you. We aren't going to take any chances."

"And I will be at the school in the mornings teaching my class as normal," Paige added.

It was clear that a plan had been formed and set while the kids were forced to go someplace public and wait to hear from their parents. Cameron spoke up then, his voice hard and cold. "And Peyton? What about her? Are we just going to go on acting normal and pretend like this never happened?"

Blake walked slowly up to him and placed a hand on his face in a motherly way. "She will be searched for every minute of the day, trust me on that. I would never forget about my daughter. But we can't let her disappearance be known, that would just make everything so much more difficult."

"I'm sorry, Aunt Blake." Cameron said in a soft voice. He looked away guiltily for his sudden outburst. "I know you'd never forget about her…"

"I know honey," Blake said. "It's okay. Today has been very long and I know everyone must be exhausted, I know I am. As much as I want to go back out and look for Peyton, everyone needs their sleep." With that Blake bid everyone goodnight. The rim of her now dull eyes were red and watery, as were her husband's as he met her at the foot of the stairs. Pogue brought and arm around Blake's waist and half carried his emotionally and physically drained wife up the stairs.

Once they were out of sight, Rylee let out a shaky breath. "I can't even imagine how hard it must be for them." Her misty blue eyes locked on the spot where the couple disappeared up the stairs. "We've looked all over and…nothing!"

"Rylee, why don't we try getting some sleep? We can look again first thing in the morning like we planned." Tyler rubbed his wife's back comfortingly then turned to his son and the three other teenagers. "You four should get some sleep too. You have school in the morning."

Rae nodded her head numbly and allowed her feet to move only a few steps before she stopped. "I don't want to be alone tonight. Mom?"

Paige smiled warmly at her daughter. "Of course, let's go." She turned and kissed Reid's lips softly. He smiled lovingly back at her.

"I'll be up soon." He called after her then looked to Caleb who motioned for Lucy, Kevin and Thorin to follow them into the living room.

At first Rome found it strange that Pogue and Tyler weren't joining them in what obviously was another meeting to go over further details of the plan that had been formed. But as he thought of it more, their absence made sense. Right now Blake needed Pogue, she needed the comfort and protection of her husband. And Tyler needed to be with Rylee. Rome knew his aunt just as much as he knew his own mother, and Rylee was known as being super emotional and easily upset. She too needed Tyler to comfort her.

"Okay off to bed all of you." River's voice cut through Rome's thoughts, causing him to jump slightly. "Rome and Cameron, you'll being staying in Tristan's room until…well until everything settles down."

"And find Peyton." Cameron quickly added. "And until we find Peyton."

River smiled at her son. "Yes, and until we find Peyton. We will find her. Now off to bed, you three."

* * *

Rae lay in a queen sized bed that took up the corner of one of the many guest rooms in the Simms manor. Her head rested in her mom's lap as she stroked her hair. If it were any other day, Rae would have fallen right to sleep, but not on this day. Her mind was too jumbled and chaotic to want to fall into unconsciousness. Wanting to rid the many questions that raced around her over-active brain. "How did you guys reach each other?"

Paige's hand stilled for a moment at the sudden question then continued to run her fingers through her daughter's hair. "What do you mean?"

"When you were looking for Peyton, how did you guys reach each other? Talking on cell phones wouldn't have been smart because you guys had to be sneaky, right?"

"You're right, cell phones wouldn't have been smart," Paige smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "We used our Connection. The same one that you share with Pey-"

"OH!" Rae suddenly gasped, sitting up quickly at her mother's words. "The link!" She felt an intense stab of hatred towards herself for not thinking of it sooner. Quickly and with a new shred of hope, Rae closed her eyes to concentrate and tried to find the link she had shared with her best friend for most of her life. After a few seconds she realized she couldn't find it, that it wasn't there. "I can't find the link. I can't find it! That's never happened before. What does that mean?"

Rae watched as her mother's face turned pale and her eyes immediately filled with worry. Though when she spoke her voice was controlled. "Do you remember the story I told you about my senior prom?" Rae nodded once, she did remember. Her mom had been kidnapped by a crazy-obsessed boy and had been knocked unconscious. Blake had told her that when she and the others went looking for her, she tried to use the Connection but because Paige had been unconscious, Blake couldn't reach her.

"Does that mean she's been knocked out or unconscious or…or…," Rae refused to finished her thoughts and where they led, so she looked up at her mom. "Do you think she is okay?"

"Yes," Paige answered right away but not too quickly. "Chase wouldn't dare harm her." She didn't add _Or at least he better not_ as she wanted to say. "And besides, Peyton is a strong girl. We'll find her. Soon."

Without another word, Rae laid her head down on the pillow and let out a long breath of air. All she wanted to do was cry. So many feelings ran through her body. Worry, fear, exhaustion and sadness were among the top ones. Her mind raced. What did that mean? She couldn't be dead. She just couldn't, Peyton was her best friend. Worry and terror tore at her heart. Where could she be? Then the words of her father floated through her mind. _Peyton is God knows where right now and Chase has her so she could be anywhere… _

"She could be anywhere…" She breathed, her voice filled with sadness before exhaustion finally took over and pulled her into a deep slumber.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Covenant.

I do however own Rae, Rome, Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and any other unfamiliar characters.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to _Luli Cullen_, _Angel of the Night Watchers_, aly, Lola, _TeamPaul15_, _Athena Dragonseeker21_ for your reviews! They make me smile!

* * *

Chapter 11

The Search Continues

The atmosphere hadn't changed the next morning when the Sons and Daughter woke up for school. It was strange how one person's absence seemed to effect them so strongly.

"Where's my dad?" Cameron asked as he reached for the bagel Rylee handed him.

"He's out." Was all she said, but Cameron knew what she meant; he was out looking for Peyton. "Your mother's with him."

Cameron nodded, the knot that rested in his stomach since Peyton's disappearance tightened. It had been over 24 hours since the vision of her kidnapping, and every hour she stayed missing the tension in the air seemed to thicken. "Any luck?" he asked, wanting so badly for the knot to loosen, even the slightest.

Rylee shook her head and did not meet his gaze as she turned away from him to grab a piece of toast from the toaster. She did not speak again until her son walked into the kitchen with Rome and Rae.

"Morning, mom." Tristan said in a voice that lacked usual enthusiasm.

"Morning," she replied, speaking to not just her son, but Rae and Rome as well.

Cameron noted that no one said 'Good Morning', and not because the sky outside was covered with dark clouds, a strong contrast to the white snow that rested on the ground, but because it wouldn't be a good morning. Not until they found Peyton.

Rae didn't accept any breakfast when Rylee had offered her a plate full of bagels and muffins.

"I'm not hungry." She said in a low voice.

Without her notice, Cameron watched Rae. He noticed that her eyes were still pink from so many hours of crying. She wore a pair of dark denim jeans and a white v-neck t-shirt; no make-up and her hair was pulled up into a messy bun at the back of her head. No smile was on her face as she met Cameron's gaze with an unreadable expression. Though the way her shoulders slumped and how her arms were crossed over her chest, he could see the extreme sadness that she felt. He wanted to race toward her and gather her in his arms, but Rome's voice stopped him and his thoughts.

"Cam," Rome was saying. "Do you want to drive or should I?"

Rae looked away from him, not quickly but slowly, as if it were a hard for her to do. Her attention was now on her brother and did not return to Cameron again. He sighed inwardly and looked to Rome. "You can drive."

Usually a fight would break out of who would get shotgun and everyone would race from the room to be the first outside, but not today. Today everyone moved gradually as they made their way outside and to the cars. Paige appeared next to them, her small teachers bag swinging from her shoulder.

"Are you ready?" She asked the four teenagers. The night before it had been agreed that Rome, Rae, Tristan and Cameron would ride to and from school with an adult. And since Paige taught a Creative Writing class at Spenser Academy, she would ride with them every morning until Peyton was found and Chase was dealt with.

Rome walked to the drivers side door and slide into the car. It gave a nice purr as the engine came to life. With that, the others piled in after him. Rae, Tristan and Cameron took the back seat while Paige sat in the front seat.

The short ride to school was silent except for the hum of the radio and the drone of the engine. Once the car was parked and the engine shut off, Paige turned them. "I know today will be very hard for all of us, but we have to pretend that nothing is wrong. We must act as normal as possible. For all they know," she jerked her head to the school building and the people inside it. "Peyton is out sick with a bad case of the flu."

As much as they hated to pretend everything was fine, they knew what the risk would be if anyone found out about Peyton's kidnapping. The cops would be involved. And as much as they would help with finding the First Daughter of Ipswich, they would make dealing with Chase extremely difficult. For all they know, Chase disappeared that night at Putnam Barn over 20 years ago. If they found him and saw he had not aged a day, questions would be asked. Questions that didn't need to be asked, for the answers would reveal the Covenant and all of their secrets.

"We understand," Rome answered for all of them and took a deep breath, setting his face in determination.

Paige smiled. "Good. After I teach my last class, I'm meeting Reid to search some more."

"Where are you searching today?" Tristan asked before any of the others could.

"We are doing a double check through town then we might head into Boston," She answered as she gathered her bag onto her lap and placed a hand on the door handle. "It might be a good place to look next if we can't find them in Ipswich."

No one spoke as they stepped out of the car and walked through the slush and mud that gathered in piles on the school parking lot. The sky above them growled menacingly, threatening to open its clouds and let thick rain drops fall. That was when a voice called to Tristan.

"Tristan, I'm going to kick your ass!" Kelsey's voice cut through the chatter of the other students as she jogged up to them. Her eyes grew wide when she saw Paige with them and her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "Oh, hi Mrs. Garwin, I didn't see you there. Sorry for the cussing."

Paige smiled and in a voice unlike a normal teacher said, "What cussing? I didn't hear anything. Goodbye and don't be late to class." She strode off up the stairs and into the main building, leaving them in the company of Kelsey and most of the student body of Ipswich. Tristan turned to see Kelsey staring at him with narrowed eyes and her arms crossed over her chest. "You haven't been answering my calls."

"I'm sorry, my mom took away my phone until I got my research paper for History done," Tristan lied smoothly as he stepped closer to his blonde haired girlfriend. "I didn't get done 'til late last night and I knew you'd already be asleep."

Kelsey's narrowed eyes softened as she unwrapped her folded arms, only to grab one of Tristan's hand in hers. Tristan kissed her lips and led the group into the school front doors.

"Have you seen, Bethany?" Rome asked, falling into step with Kelsey and Tristan.

"Yep, she's actually looking for you. Last time I saw her she was headed to class." Kelsey peeked at Rome from the corner of her eye as he jogged off ahead of them before looking over her shoulder. "Hey, where's Peyton?"

"She's sick." Tristan replied with practice. "Woke up yesterday morning with the flu. She'll be out for a couple of days, I think."

Kelsey frowned. "She didn't seem sick at the party, but then again the flu hits you like that." She snapped her fingers together. "I'll bring her some soup or something after school-"

"No," Rae interrupted loudly causing Kelsey to raise an eyebrow. She forced a smile and recovered quickly. "No, she's completely contagious. Trust me, you do not want to get near her."

Kelsey's frown turned into sympathy. "Poor Peyton. Hope she gets better fast."

"Yeah," Rae agreed. "Me too."

* * *

"God, it's about time." Bethany said as her and Kelsey stepped out of their 3rd period class and made their way to the cafeteria. "Is it just me or does it feel like today is going by painfully slow?"

"It's not just you, Beth," Kelsey paused to open her locker and set the books she carried inside. "Did you notice anything weird about Mrs. Garwin?"

Bethany shrugged. "I mean she didn't seem to be in her normal happy mood, but teachers can't love school all the time. And besides it's Monday, no one likes Mondays."

"Yeah, I guess…" Kelsey smiled as she caught sight of Tristan Simms walking toward her. She tiptoed up when he stood in front of her and kissed his lips. "My day just got so much better."

A smile graced his face as he gazed at her. "Good." He turned his gaze on Bethany and inclined his head in greeting. "Hey, Bethany."

Bethany waved and walked beside the couple as they followed the flow of students to the lunch room. Inside the cafeteria they saw Rome, Rae, and Cameron sitting at their usual table near the large windows. Bethany broke off from the small group and wrapped her arms around Rome's waist.

"Hey handsome," She grinned as Rome returned her embrace. She noticed he looked tired, bags were under his eyes. "How're you feeling? You look tired."

Rome shrugged. "I am tired. I didn't get any sleep last night." Bethany patted her boyfriend's shoulder sympathetically before taking the empty seat in between Cameron and Rae.

"So Rae," Bethany started in a low voice. "I saw you with Drew at the party. You two looked pretty cozy."

Rae's heart sputtered and she felt Cameron's eyes slide to her but she refused to meet his gaze. She knew, without looking at him what expression would be on his face. "I tripped down the steps on the deck. If it weren't for him catching me I would have fallen flat on my face." What she said was true, but only partly so. She had tripped and he had caught her to make sure she didn't fall, but the parts she left out was that she was drunk and she had almost kissed him.

Bethany raised an eyebrow, her grin widened. "Mmhmm. If you say so."

"I do say so," Rae replied, now irritated. "It was nothing."

Thankfully, Kelsey stole Bethany's attention, asking her how the rest of her weekend went. Rae huffed inwardly and turned to speak to Tristan but found him already in a discussion with Rome. The only person left was the person who was still staring at her, the one person she didn't want to talk to. So she rose from her seat.

"I'm not that hungry. I'll see you guys later." Before anyone could question her, Rae hurried from the lunch room, leaving her untouched tray sitting on the table.

Outside in the hallway, she took a deep breath and let the air out in a long, frustrated sigh. _Everything's wrong_, she thought. She felt like everything was out of place. Like the pieces of her life had been thrown everywhere, making it nearly impossible for her to put it all back together properly. Things were ruined with Cameron, and Bethany's remark about Drew didn't help that matter at all. Peyton was missing, she was gone and no one knew where to find her.

Tears started to form thickly in Rae's eyes, blurring the empty hallway she walked down. She wiped at them angrily and clenched her jaw tight.

"Crying 'cause you miss me, huh?"

Rae's head snapped up to the familiar voice, her eyes narrowed at the sight of him. "Go fuck yourself."

Alex Montgomery strolled up to her with a cocky grin on his face. "You've already done that for me, baby. Don't you remember your first time, Garwin?" He reached a hand to her face but Rae smacked it away and took a step back.

"Leave me alone, Alex. I don't want to deal with you, I'm done. I already have enough shit going on in my life right, so I don't need you and your stupid, sarcastic ass to make it any worse. Got it?" Rae shoved past him, leaving him speechless. She rounded the corner of the hallway just as the bell rang, signaling that lunch was over.

"When will this day end?" She asked no one but herself as she made her way to her next class with which she shared with Cameron. She found herself sighing for what felt like the thousandth time that day. "A few more hours...only a few more hours."

* * *

Blake stood leaning against the marble counter top that lined the large kitchen, a steaming cup of tea resting between her hands. "I should be out there looking for her," she said through clenched teeth. "Not sitting here waiting like a helpless woman."

"You are definitely not helpless," Rylee smiled, remembering the many times she had battled Blake during their trainings when they were younger. With her glowing purple iris's and a ball of dancing flames in her hands, Blake was near right dangerous. "Pogue was right to force you to stay home and rest. You're exhausted, you should sleep."

"I don't want to sleep, Rylee, I want to find my daughter." She collapsed into a nearby chair of the small kitchen table that sat in a nook by the large bay window. It was then that Blake realized that Pogue was right; she was exhausted. She glanced at her reflection in the window that separated her from a thick curtain of rain that now poured outside and sighed. Even in a tiny glance she could tell that she looked as horrible as she felt. "Maybe I do need some sleep."

Rylee gave her a small smile and offered her a hand, but when Blake didn't reach for it or make a move to stand, she took a seat across from her friend. Blake bit her lip and Rylee saw the fresh tears, though her eyes were focused on her hands in front of her. "She's never been in a situation like this," Blake spoke softly, her voice shaking. "She must be so scared…she's only seventeen."

When Rylee spoke her voice was careful. "She's not much younger than we were when we first fought with Demon..." She purposefully left out the fact that as kids, her, Blake, River and Paige had years of intense training when that happened.

Blake raised her gaze, her tear filled eyes seemed to know what Rylee was thinking and her words confirmed it. "We had been trained for years before that ever happened."

"Peyton is the first Daughter of Ipswich. She has your power plus the Power of the Covenant, therefore making her the most powerful being in the history of the Covenant." Rylee pointed out strongly, wanting desperately for Blake to feel better, even a small fraction. "And besides, she's smart."

Blake wiped a tear from her eye and sniffed. "You're right," she said, "but she's never used her powers against anyone. At least not against someone as strong and dangerous as Chase apparently is."

Rylee opened her mouth quickly to reply but nothing came out. Blake was right, Peyton had never been put in a situation where she had to use her powers against evil. She thought of Peyton, with no training, no idea of what was going on or how much danger she was in, and shuddered.

The door dividing the kitchen from the rest of the house swung open then and Tyler stepped in. His brown hair flat on his forehead, his blue eyes tired and heavy. "Are you ready to go?" He asked Rylee and held up a puffy red jacket. "Pogue said we should start looking outside of Ipswich, maybe in Boston or Manchester."

Rylee stood, went to her husband and grabbed her jacket. "Let's start in Manchester." She looked back at Blake. Even though Reid would be at the house with her, Rylee was reluctant to leave Blake.

"Go. I'll be fine." Blake said, sensing her hesitation and forced a smile. "I'll probably head upstairs and lay down."

Rylee nodded and Blake watched the two disappear through the door. Feeling even more exhausted then she had only minutes before, Blake stood from the chair, grabbed her coffee mug and made her way through the house. She walked up the stairs slowly and moved just as slow down the hallway to one of the many spare bedrooms where her and Pogue slept.

The bed was soft and warm underneath her when she laid down. The curtains were drawn shut to block the day out. Not that it mattered because the sky outside was as dark as night from the thick storm clouds that left no room for the sun to shine.

"You okay?"

Blake lifted her head from the pillow to see Reid standing in the doorway, his eyes intently on her. He looked worried and concerned, the emotions playing full on his face making Blake want to smile. Before Paige, Reid never let his emotions be known, now they were clear and out for everyone to see.

He shook his head and walked further into the room. "I'm sorry, that was a stupid question to ask. Of course, you're not okay."

This time, Blake did smile. "You're right, I'm not okay. But I will be when we find her." She was positive they'd find her. It wasn't just hope that let her know Peyton would soon be with her again, it was deeper than that. Pogue called it her 'motherly instinct'; Blake didn't know what to call it.

"Tyler and Rylee just leave?" Reid asked.

Blake nodded, feeling her eyelids close over her eyes against her will. She wanted to stay awake but the exhaustion she'd been feeling for the last two days had finally caught up with her. The sound of soft footsteps moving across carpet did not wake her, neither did the light weight of a warm blanket as it covered her.

Blake drifted into nothingness. A picture of her daughter's face floated in the darkness against her closed eyelids. _I'll find you, Peyton, _she said to the image before sleep finally took her.

* * *

Rome was excused from class ten minutes before the bell rang, complaining of a severe headache. The Professor said he should go to the school nurse for some Tylenol, but rather than heeding his advice, for he didn't have a headache to begin with, Rome strolled down the hallway to where Bethany's class was and stood outside. Since Peyton's kidnapping, a part of Rome's world had been thrown into a continuous spinning circle. Bethany was the one steady thing in his life at the moment.

Feeling antsy and the strong need to be with her, he grabbed his phone from the pants pocket of his school uniform and sent a text to his girlfriend: _Outside your class._

It was only a couple of minutes before he got a reply: _Be out in a few._

Rome smiled to himself and leaned up against the wall to wait. A few seconds later, the door opened and Rome pushed forward only to stop when he saw it wasn't Bethany. It was one of the triplets, Tracy Becklin.

"Hey, Rome," she practically purred at the sight of him. She batted her eyelashes as she sauntered up to him. "Waiting for someone?"

Rome vaguely remembered thinking she was hott with her fire red hair and her come-hither stare. But now as he looked at her, he never knew why he thought that. Not that she was ugly or anything, she just didn't hold any appeal for him anymore. He glanced away from her, his eyes landing on the door as he thought of the girl who sat behind it.

"I'm waiting for, Bethany."

He heard her snort in laughter and he looked back to see her roll her eyes. "Please, Miss Delaware? What does she have that I don't?"

A slow smirk spread itself across his face. As much as he wanted to answer her question, for there was so much Bethany had that Tracy did not, he stayed silent.

"Whatever." Tracy said, quickly getting the hint that she wasn't wanted by him. She lifted her chin, nose in the air and turned around but not before adding, "You're loss, Garwin. You could have had all three of us," She paused, "At one time."

Rome couldn't help but burst into laughter, causing him to receive a very heated glare. He was still chuckling to himself when the final bell rang and Bethany stepped out of her classroom. She raised her eyebrows at him. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," He laughed and stepped aside, allowing her to get to her locker behind him. "How was the rest of your classes?"

Bethany groaned and stomped the ground with her foot like a little child. "Professor Clare gave us a five page paper to write by the end of the week. Which means, that I have to start on it tonight."

"That's a bummer," Rome said but couldn't help but feel a little relieved. Now he wouldn't have to make up an excuse if she wanted to hang out or come over or anything. "Yeah, I had her last year, she's an easy grader."

"Well, I guess that makes it a little better." She said, though she still had a little pout on her face. Rome laughed pulled her into a hug.

"Listen, I have to go, but call me later if you get a chance." He kissed her lips quickly and turned to leave but stopped after a few steps and returned to her. He grabbed Bethany's face between his hands and kissed her again, this time more gently. His lips soft over her, he could feel her lean into his embrace. Bethany pulled back from the kiss a little dazed. "That was for being amazing."

Bethany grinned bashfully but held his gaze. "Thanks, you're not so bad yourself. In fact, you're great." She pulled him into third kiss and let it linger. "I'll call you later."

Rome grinned and made his way outside where it was raining. Thick drops fell onto the ground, mixing with melted snow and mud. A sleek, black car with tinted windows sat along the curb right in front of the main steps. Rome recognized it as the Simms car. He jogged down the stairs and opened the back door, knowing the front seat would already be occupied. Rome hopped in the car and shut it, shaking the rain out of his hair like a dog. "Where's my car?"

Rae gave him a sour look and wiped off a droplet that had landed on her face with the back of her hand. "Thanks for that," she said sarcastically and sat back into the seat, arms crossed over her chest. "And mom drove your car home at lunch."

Rome turned to ask Tyler if they had any luck today in the search for Peyton but it wasn't Tyler who sat in the drivers seat as he thought. Instead it was the Watcher, Thorin who nodded his head in greeting. "Mr. Garwin." He said politely.

"It's Rome, stop with the 'Mr. Garwin' shit," Rome said as the car pulled away from the curb and cut carefully through the students who headed to their own cars. "Relax a little, dude."

A smile flickered across Thorin's face, making him look years younger. "Yes, Mr. Rome."

Cameron chuckled and Tristan cracked a smile at the Watcher's reply, Rome sighed. "Well, it's better than 'Mr. Garwin.'"

Minutes later, they pulled in the Simms driveway and Thorin stepped out, his trained eyes alert and ready. "Hurry inside." He said as he herded the four teenagers into the house quickly. He closed the door behind them before speaking again. "Your parents are out looking for the young girl, but Mr. and Mrs. Parry remain behind. They are resting." He gestured to the staircase that led to the rooms. "I was told that the others will return later this evening." With a slight bow of the head, Thorin walked from the foyer and down the hallway.

Rae watched him with curious eyes then turned to the stairs. "I'm tired," she announced, placing a foot on the first step. A hand caught her wrist, she turned to see Rome standing in front of her.

"I don't think you should be alone." He said, eyes serious.

"I don't need a babysitter," she said, irritated that she couldn't have a moment of privacy. "I'll be fine." She stomped up the stairs. In the room she shared with her mother, Rae threw herself onto the bed and curled herself into a ball. She closed her eyes and hopelessly searched for the link that connected her mind to her best friends. Still nothing. Her chin trembled as a soft sob left her aching chest, the one that had been stuck there since the morning.

Suddenly the sound of a door swinging slowly open caught her attention. She rolled over, eyes narrowed, ready to yell at her brother. Instead, Cameron stood awkwardly in the door frame, hands in his pockets. "I wanted to check on you."

Rae blinked in surprise, then felt a cold anger rise in her throat. "I don't need you looking after me. We're not together anymore, remember? I think you made it clear that you didn't want to be with me." She saw him flinch at her words as a hurt expression washed over his handsome features. But she didn't care, she was tired, hungry, sad, and frustrated.

"Rae, I'm-"

"Don't." She said quietly, though the word stopped his sentence like she'd just slapped him in the face. "I don't want to hear it. Just leave, will you?"

Cameron hesitated, his mouth still open. He closed it slowly, his eyebrows furrowing together as his own anger came foreword to match Rae's. "Fine, I'll leave you alone." He spun on his heels, grabbed the door and closed it firmly behind him.

Rae stared at the door. There was a finality in his words that she didn't like. She slammed her fist into the pillow and let out a low, short yell. The anger she felt towards Cameron turned to fury and was now directed at herself. _He probably hates me now… _she thought, _I don't blame him._

She laid back down on the pillow and wrapped her arms around herself. She let out a shaky breath of air. "Peyton," she muttered to herself, "Where are you?"


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the Covenant.

I do however own Rae, Rome, Peyton, Tristan, Cameron and any other unfamiliar characters.

Hope everyone had a great New Years! I know it's been a while but school and work have been keeping me busy! But I wanted to thank _Luli Cullen_, _Rose2621_, and _Angel of the Night Watchers_ for their reviews! And to those who review, favorite, etc...you all keep me motivated and passionate about writing! =) Thank you.

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Chapter 12

Turning Point

"Rylee!" Tyler called out for the third time as he raced after his wife down a long, narrow alley. The buildings that stood on either side of them towered high, standing black and empty, abandoned. Tyler saw Rylee disappear around a corner, he called out her name again as he put on a burst of speed, soon rounding the corner himself. He was ready to continue racing after her but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw she had stopped running.

"Rylee," he said, breathing heavy when he was at her side. "Didn't you hear me call your name?"

She nodded but didn't look at him. She stared out at the fading sun that fell across the water. The Boston sky was painted with dozens of different colors, the storm from earlier that day had passed hours ago, leaving it clear. "I heard you."

Tyler stepped in her line of sight and placed his hands on her shoulders. "If you heard me why did you keep running?"

Instead of answering his question, Rylee wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled herself close. "Another day has gone by and still no sign of her…" Her voiced sounded muffled against his chest but he knew there were tears in her eyes.

"We'll find her." His words came out automatically, almost too quickly. He took a deep breath, the smell of salt water filled his nostrils before he exhaled slowly. He kissed the top of Rylee's head and held her close for a moment longer. "Come on, we've searched nearly all day…let's go home."

Rylee bit her lip as she leaned away from him, her blue eyes searching around her frantically as if Peyton would suddenly appear in front of her. The crisp winter air blew around them, rustling their hair. She pulled her red jacket tighter to suppress a shiver. She looked once more at the water that lay calm, not tampered by the wind as they were.

"Okay, but tomorrow we start looking in Manchester." She turned her gaze on him before adding, "Like we were supposed to be doing today."

Tyler grabbed her hands in his, rubbing them to keep them warm against the chill. "Paige and Reid needed our help looking here in Boston," he pointed out. "Better to get one place thoroughly searched before starting somewhere else."

"I know," Rylee sighed. "You're right. I just…I just hate seeing Blake like this. She's so…" Her sentence faded as she searched for a word, but no word described they way she knew her best friend felt. She was distraught but able to keep faith, and at times it looked like she would fall to pieces but she never did. Rylee knew her friend was strong but she didn't know how much longer Blake could keep up the façade of composure and strength. And Rylee had to admit that her hope of finding Peyton was seeming to blur at the edges. At that moment, Rylee felt a twang of guilt at her fading hope but she knew the others were feeling it too, and like her they didn't admit it.

She closed her eyes and like it was a second nature, found the link that she shared with Blake, Paige and River. It seemed to hum against her words as she mentally spoke to Paige telling her exactly where they were. Not seconds later, Paige appeared at the wall of one of the abandoned warehouses, her blonde hair blowing around her face in the gusty wind.

"Anything?" she asked, jogging up to them.

Tyler shook his head. "Nothing at all. It's like he just disappeared into thin air." He ran a hand roughly through his dark hair and let out a huff of air. "He could be anywhere, anywhere in the world."

"Anywhere in the world," Paige repeated in a sad voice. "The world's an awfully big place…and I have a feeling we don't have that much time."

* * *

Pogue and Blake sat in the living room of the Simms Manor, their arms around each other as Reid spoke. "There was nothing," he was saying. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his voice low. "Not one sign."

Neither of them said anything for a moment, then Blake stood so suddenly that she nearly lost her balance. When Pogue reached for her she shrugged him off. "I'm fine," she said, her voice emotionless. "I'm just tired. I'm going to lay down." Blake left the room without a word from her husband or Reid, both had their eyes on her.

Reid shifted his gaze to his friend who now had his head in his hands, his shoulders hunched. "We have to find her," he whispered so low Reid wasn't sure he was speaking at first. Pogue looked up at his life-long friend. "I don't know how much more I can take, Reid. It's killing me to see Blake like this." Tears had started to fill his eyes and his voice shook. "She's trying so hard to be strong and she might be fooling everyone else but she's not fooling me. This whole situation is killing her slowly… it's killing me, too. I don't want to lose either of them. I'd die if I ever lost them. I have to find my daughter."

Reid's throat felt tight and his eyes stung with unshed tears. He's never seen Pogue like this, so helpless and weak. He tried to picture himself in his friend's position and shuddered even at the thought. If he were Pogue, he would have broken down a long time ago. Reid took a deep breath and blinked quickly, trying to rid the tears and be strong for Pogue but before he could say anything, Pogue was on his feet.

"What are you doing?" asked Reid as Pogue made his way out of the room and into the foyer, grabbing his jacket on the way to the door. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to look for my daughter, Reid." The weakness and helplessness that had been in his voice only moments ago had disappeared. The only emotion that showed now was a fierce, almost desperate determination.

"Well, let me go tell Paige. I'm coming with you." Reid grabbed his own coat. "No way in hell am I letting you go out there alone."

Pogue was going to protest but the look on Reid's face told him that would be a bad idea. He nodded his head and with Reid, walked up the stairs. As Pogue neared the bedroom he and Blake shared while staying with the Simms', he noticed that the door cracked slightly. His heart squeezed as he looking into the room to see Blake sitting at the edge of the bed, her hand covering her mouth as terrible sobs ripped from her chest. In her other hand she held a picture of a ten year old Peyton with an innocent smile on her small face.

Pogue's throat tightened painfully at the sight of his wife so sad and heartbroken, but instead of going to her, he spun on his heels and moved as quietly as he could back down the hallway. Taking two stairs at a time, he found himself throwing the front door open and racing outside. He was glad that Thorin wasn't guarding the house at the moment as he made his way down the driveway. He didn't wait for Reid to join him, he couldn't. He needed to find his daughter, and he wouldn't wait for anyone to help him. Feeling the Power pumping through his veins, Pogue let it take over, turning his eyes solid black. With thoughts of Boston, he vanished from where he stood.

* * *

It was nearing three in the morning before Pogue had made it home with no luck on finding Peyton. He felt as if he were on an edge, the drop below too far to even see the bottom, and his mood was leaning him dangerously over it.

"What the hell were you thinking going out on your own?" A voice said from the darkness, startling him to a stop on the steps. Pogue spun to see Blake with her arms crossed tightly over her chest, standing on the tiled foyer. She looked furious. "I asked you a question."

Normally Pogue would have been caught off guard by his wife's anger because it happened so rarely, but at the moment, with his own temper on edge, he drew himself tall and met her glare. "All I was thinking about is finding Peyton. I was out looking for our daughter who is still missing… or did you forget? You've been cooped up in the room crying instead of going out and being proactive." He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth as he watched Blake's eyes flash from hurt to anger then back to fury.

She glared at him, her stare cold and like a stranger. She couldn't believe that he would every say something like that to her. "Don't mind coming up to bed. You can sleep on the couch tonight."

"Blake, I'm sorry-," He reached for her as she walked by him but she jerked away from his touch.

"Don't." Her voice shook the word in her throat, her eyes were full of unshed tears. She pushed past him then disappeared into the hallway.

Pogue ran a hand roughly through his hair then down his face. "Shit."

Only a few hours had passed, though it was still before dawn and Blake sat on her bed her eyes red and puffy. She hadn't slept, her thoughts wouldn't allow it. The words that Pogue had said to her played over and over, making tears well in her eyes again. The entire night she debated on running down the stairs and slapping her husband for his harsh words, but at the same time she just wanted to curl up in his arms and forgive him. She sighed to herself and wiped at her eyes. Fighting with each other wasn't making anything better.

She found herself on her feet, and only minutes later she stood in the dim living room. The only light came from a small lamp sitting on the oak wood end table that sat against one of the two couches. Pogue, with his head in his hands, his muscles tight at he pulled at his own hair. He hadn't heard her come into the room.

Blake made her presence known by shuffling her feet as she stepped around the couch. Her husband stood suddenly, defensive until he realized who was standing in front of him. "Blake," he said, taking a hesitant step toward her. He stopped just out of arms reach. "I'm so sorry about what I said. I shouldn't have said that…I feel like a complete ass."

"I'm sorry, too," Blake closed the distance between them and flung her arms around his neck. "I was just so worried about you when Reid said you left without him. I was furious but more terrified than anything. All I could think of losing both of you. I'm so scared… so scared we won't find her. I don't think…I…" Her words turned into sobs as she collapsed into Pogue's strong arms, he hushed her gently as he pulled her onto his lap.

"Shh, Blake, please don't cry." Pogue could feel his throat tighten as Blake's tears fell down her cheeks rapidly. He knew he'd sound like a broken record but he had to say it, to convince both himself and her. "We'll find her. I promise you." He rubbed her arms and back, trying to calm her down, and after a few moments he was successful.

Pogue stared down at his wife cradled in his arms. Her eyes were closed now, her cheeks wet from the downfall of tears. Soon her breathing became shallow and even… she had fallen asleep for the first time in days.

Careful not to jostle her, Pogue lifted her off his lap and set her gently on the couch. He laid down next to her and pulled the blanket that hung across the back of the couch over them. "I love you," he whispered to the sleeping woman, before closing his own eyes and falling into his dreams.

* * *

It was a few minutes before it was time to leave for school and Tristan jogged down the stairs, already ready for the day to be over with. He ambled into the living room with the plan of watching T.V. while he waited for the others when something on the couch caught his eye. He turned his head to see Pogue and Blake sleeping together peacefully.

He smiled to himself, knowing that it had been a while since his aunt and uncle got a good nights sleep. So Tristan quietly made his way from the room, making sure to close the pocket doors behind him.

Thorin appeared next to him suddenly. "Good morning, Mister Simms."

Tristan put a finger to his own lips and motioned to the closed doors behind him. "Pogue and Blake are sleeping."

Two loud knocks landed on the front door, the doorbell following closely behind. Tristan glanced at Thorin. "Whoever it is they are no threat to us," he pointed out as he advanced to the door. "The ward I placed around the estate does not allow those with magic pass through it's barriers. Other than those in this house that is, and Kevin and Lucy."

Slightly confused, Tristan turned his gaze to the short, thick man. "Don't Keeper of Prophecies have power?"

Thorin nodded his head. "In some way, yes, but not the kind of power we have to worry about. The ward focuses more on the powers similar to yours."

Tristan unlocked the door and cracked it just enough to let him peek outside. Kevin greeted him with a nod of his head, Lucy smiled kindly as the blue eyes boy opened the door all the way to allow them in.

"Hello, Thorin and Tristan," Lucy said as she shrugged off her coat. "Are your parents home?"

"Yeah, they're upstairs. I'll tell them to meet you in the kitchen," He replied, then went up the stairs to find his parents, leaving the three to go to the kitchen.

Tristan found his mother in her room, sitting on the bed pulling a pair of socks onto her feet. Rylee looked up when her son appeared in the door.

"Tristan, honey, how are you feel-"

"Kevin and Lucy are here," he interrupted before Rylee could finish her sentence. He was tired of everyone asking everyone else how they were, because it was always the same answer. 'I'm fine,' or 'okay,' which neither answer were actually how anyone felt. "They asked if you were here. They're waiting in the kitchen."

Rylee stood up quickly and called for Tyler, who appeared from the attached bathroom, tooth brush in mouth. "Kevin and Lucy are here," she answered his questioning gaze before turning back to Tristan. "Tell them we'll be right down."

Tristan left the room and made his way back down the hallway, passing the room Rae stayed in. He peeked in to see Rae shoving books into her backpack. Her mother, Paige, sat in a side chair as she watched her daughter.

"You ready, Rae?" Tristan asked, causing Rae to jump at his sudden presence. "Sorry."

Rae gave him a small smile. "It's okay, you just surprised me. And yeah, I'm ready for school. Mom?"

"Yes." Paige stood up and grabbed her teacher's bag from next to the chair. "Rae, will you round up the others? We should have left ten minutes ago."

Rae followed Tristan from the room and fell into step with him as the went down the stairs. "Another day," Rae said, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. She smiled as Tristan turned to look at her. He looked just as sad as she felt. "We'll find her. Well, _they'll_ find her. Now, Tristan Simms, give me a smile."

Tristan let out a little laugh at Rae's effort of trying to lift his spirits, so he wanted to humor her. He smiled a big goofy smile, causing Rae to break out in laughter. It was a strange sound but it was nice to hear after what seemed like ages. Rae let out a sigh, she felt lighter somehow and it felt good to laugh.

"You know what just occurred to me?" she asked Tristan as she pulled on her coat.

Tristan's eyebrows pulled together as he watched his friend smile at nothing in particular. "What?"

Rae lifted her eyes to his. "Peyton would have our butts if she saw us like this." She motioned to Tristan and herself. "If she saw us all depressed, she wouldn't be very happy." Rae didn't know why, but when she woke up she felt as if it were a new day. There were no dark thoughts that clouded her mind, only a strong sense of faith that they were going to be with Peyton again… and soon.

"You're right," Tristan agreed as he pulled Rae into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Oh," he said, suddenly remembering that Kevin and Lucy were waiting. "I'll be right back. I forgot about Kevin and Lucy."

Rae pulled away from the youngest Son of Ipswich. "Kevin and Lucy are here? Why?"

"I'm not sure," Tristan shrugged as he backed away from Rae and made his way down the hall and into the kitchen. Thorin stood with his arms crossed, leaning on the counter. Kevin sat at the table with Lucy next to him. All three looked up when Tristan entered the room.

"My parents will be down in a few minutes," he announced, wondering to himself exactly why they were there.

"Thank you, Tristan," Lucy smiled kindly from her seat. "Have a good day at school."

Tristan nodded once, unsure of whether or not to ask them about their sudden visit. He wondered if it had anything to do with Peyton. He opened his mouth to ask but the question was cut off by Paige calling for him. So with only a glance to spare, Tristan turned on his heels and strolled back into the foyer.

They heard the front door open and shut, then the sound of footsteps reached them. Moments later, Rylee, Reid and Tyler walked into the room.

"Is everything okay?" Rylee asked, clearly anxious with their guests unannounced visit. She grabbed Tyler's hand for comfort, Reid shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"This is not a visit for alarm," Lucy started, "but I would prefer that everyone be present. That is, the parents."

Tyler's eyes moved in between the older pair. "Caleb and River are out." He didn't have to say where, everyone knew what 'out' meant; they were looking for Peyton. "Tristan said that Pogue and Blake are asleep in the living room and I'd rather not wake them. They need to rest."

Kevin shared a glance with Lucy, who nodded in encouragement. "This… situation is unusual. No prophecy has come forth of Chase or any of you. It is strange that something of this great importance should happen yet no prophecy exists." He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't any information that you've neglected to mention…"

Reid's eyebrows furrowed. "My niece is missing," he said in irritation. "Don't you think that if we had any more information we'd tell you? Yeah, we would."

"We've told you everything," Rylee added, her voice softer than Reid's. "Is there a reason why you're asking this?"

Lucy shook her head and smiled her kind smile. "Just trying to figure things out and see if anything can be made more clear."

* * *

She was conscious now, though her mind was fuzzy and fogged. Her ears rang painfully and her eyelids were heavy, feeling like sandpaper against her eyes. She tried to move but found that the rest of her body was just as heavy as her eyelids. As her mind cleared little by little, her senses came back. The ringing in her ears faded but the only thing she could hear was her own breathing. It sounded labored. She lifted her head slowly and was successful but a cry of agony escaped her as a sharp pain shot across her temple. Peyton's eyes snapped open and with blurry vision she took in her surroundings.

Though her head still pounded, she realized she was in a unfamiliar room. The walls were gray and dirty from obvious lack of cleaning, sat far apart. A dark wooden table sat against the wall to her right; a cutting knife, a glass of water, and a small silver box were the only things on it. In front of her stood a door. She didn't know where she was at but the smell of salt water lingered in her nostrils. She didn't know how she got there, all she remember was…

The memories flooded back to her; the feeling of being watched, the thunder and lightening… a stranger's dark eyes as he raced toward her. That was the last thing she remembered other than the pain that had exploded, causing her to lapse into nothingness.

Panic started to make her breath come in short gasps as she tried to move her arms but found her wrists bound tightly. She looked down to see a rope tying her arms to the chair she was sitting in; her ankles were tied too. Tears sprang to her eyes as the panic exploded within her at the realization that she was in big trouble… that she'd been kidnapped.

"Help!" she called out, knowing deep down that it was useless. "Help!"

That was when she heard it. The sound of footsteps echoing eerily off concrete walls. Peyton stopped her useless yelling and focused on the door, ignoring the way her eyelids wanted to sag back down over her eyes. The door slowly opened and in stepped the stranger from her memory.

"Ah, the sleeping beauty awakens! You known, you've been asleep for some time. Almost four days actually." His voice sent shivers up her spine as did the way he looked at her. His blue eyes were crazed, needy but what scared her most was the power that rested behind them. The same power that she shared with her family.

Rae! Her thoughts flew to her best friend and the connection she shared with her. Through her panic and fear, Peyton willed herself to focus on finding the Link. Within seconds she realized that she couldn't concentrate, her mind was still too clouded.

"What a terrible host I am!" The stranger spoke again, gaining back Peyton's attention. "If you're feeling a little woozy that's because of a little drug I slipped into your bloodstream while you were unconscious. I don't know if you inherited the Power from your daddy but I'd rather not take any risks." The smile faded on his face, and his eyes grew dark, his voice threatening. "I underestimated them before and I do not intend on doing it again."

Peyton stared at him, her eyebrows furrowed as the stranger moved closer to her. For some reason it didn't surprise her that he knew about the Power, what had surprised her was that from what she could remember, he had it. She couldn't ignore the way her heart beat like a drum against her chest out of pure fear. Her mouth felt dry and a pool of tears started to fill her eyes. She was absolutely terrified, but even her terror couldn't stop her from speaking.

"You…you h-have the Power," she said in a shaky voice, remember his midnight colored eyes in her room. "Who are you?"

The man smiled again but it was not kind. "I'm Chase Collins, descendent of the fifth family that settled Ipswich. I'm the most powerful there has ever been." Chase took a quick step forward and reached a hand to Peyton's face. His fingertips touched her lightly as they played across her skin. "You are the first female to be born in the Covenant bloodline, and if the rumors are true that means you are the most powerful. Are you as gifted as I hear, little Peyton?"

Peyton did not speak nor did she move away from his touch. She just stared at him frozen in fear, and Chase looked back. His now blue eyes studying her intently.

"You know what? I like you, you don't talk much. Unlike your Uncle Caleb." Chase growled his name. "Why do you call him your uncle anyways? He's not _actually_ your uncle. And speaking of you being the first Daughter, you and your little group of friends do sound quite interesting. Your generation of the Covenant is very odd to have the first female ever born, twins and five of you! Very impressive."

Chase walked away from Peyton towards the table, the place where his hand rested left a cold, burning feeling on her cheek. He opened the box that Peyton had noticed earlier and pulled something small and thin from it. "Just so you know, you were Plan B. I was first planning to get Caleb or even your daddy but… I like to play games. Games are fun, you see. That's why I did some digging around on your family. And you were the one to catch my eye, my plan B. I'm liking plan B better. It's much more fun."

Peyton's eyes narrowed on his left hand and realized what he was carrying as he walked back to stand in front of her. It was a needle and syringe filled with liquid.

Peyton felt her heart thud even more rapidly against her chest as Chase grabbed her right arm and held the needle ready. "What do you want from me?" she screamed as the needle pierced her skin, feeling the effects of the drug working immediately.

"What do I want from you?" Chase barked a crazed laughter, his eyes gleaming. "I want your power, little Peyton. I want all the power. But before I get it, we are going to have a little family reunion."

She didn't have time to react to his words as she felt herself falling back into unconsciousness.


	13. Chapter 13

**AUTHORS NOTE:** Thank you so much for being patient with me! School's keeping me busy! And to be honest I was having a hard time with this chapter...I didn't know where I wanted to go with it. But I'm very happy with how it turned out, so I hope you like it too!

I want to thank _Angel of the Night Watchers_, _katespc123_, _Luli Cullen_, _Rose2621_ and _Alec'sBaBE_ for their reviews! Also thank you for the favorites, story alerts, etc. =) You guys rock! Here it is!

* * *

Chapter 13

Tired of Waiting…

The Sons of Ipswich were standing in front of a row of lockers, arms crossed over their chests as other students bustled by in a hurry to their second class of the day. Tristan straightened quickly when a small blonde appeared in the crowd, walking with her books clutched to her chest. Kelsey paused for a moment when her eyes fell onto her boyfriend. Tristan opened his mouth to speak but Kelsey lifted her chin and stalked off, leaving him with a single glare.

"Shit," Tristan sighed and ran a hand roughly over his face. "She's still pissed at me."

Just the night before, Kelsey had asked what was wrong with Tristan, saying that for the past week he'd been distant and kept to himself. He could have told her he felt sick or that he was stressed about an upcoming test, anything but the truth. Instead of going with either lie, he settled for, 'nothing,' and left it at that. His single word left Kelsey to continue pushing for further explanation.

After a dozen more questions, Tristan had told her to drop it, that he was fine and in his anger he told her to quit nagging at him. All in all his answer had caused a huge fight between the two, leaving them today with an angry tension.

"I have to go talk to her." Tristan pushed off the lockers he leaned against and prepared for a fight that was sure to come. But as his foot made a step forward, a hand caught his forearm and he turned to see Rae, wide eyed and red faced. She came out of nowhere, and by the way she breathed, it had obviously been at a run. The bell rang half a minute ago, warning people to head to class, though the Sons and Daughter of Ipswich stayed where they were. Rae glanced around at the passing students, waiting until they were out of ear shot to speak.

She let go of Tristan's arm and turned her body so she faced all three of the Sons. Her voice was strained, as if she was holding back from crying. "I am sick and tired of waiting," she said, running a hand roughly through her blonde hair. "It's been almost a week, who knows what that freak could have done to her in that time? I'm going to look for her. No, _we_ are going to look for her. Now."

Rome shifted his stance, his blue eyes intently on his sister. He agreed with her 100 percent. He was done with their parents to do their search while they sat at home waiting. Rome looked up and down the hallway, seeing if it were clear of wandering or late to class students.

They were alone.

"Boston has been searched up and down a hundred times," Rome said as he lifted his feet and made for the school doors. "But it wouldn't hurt to do one more sweep with a fresh pair of eyes."

Cameron nodded as he picked up into a jog, aware that they were ditching classes. But it didn't matter to him. Not when they had a chance like this. He pulled his car keys from the front pocket of his uniform pants as Tristan pushed the front doors open. The sky outside was overcast with dark gray clouds though thankfully for the first day in nearly a week, it wasn't raining. "It will take us at least an hour to get there," Cameron said, sliding into the drivers seat of his Mustang. "Wouldn't it be easier for you to just teleport us there?"

"It's too draining to teleport all four of us," Rome shook his head from the back seat. "But if I only have to take one it wouldn't be as bad. We'll start downtown, in the middle of the city." Reaching over to Tristan who sat next to him, he laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. Rae and Cameron watched as the iris of Rome's eyes shifted from blue to a deep shade of pink. "You two start by the docks at the warehouses. Let's meet back here before school lets out," was all he said before disappearing from the back seat with Tristan in tow.

Rae resisted a sigh as she turned back around in her seat. Of course her brother would leave her with Cameron, her ex-boyfriend. But Rae was tired of complaining and sulking about it. Sure, she was still bitter about the break up but she managed to look him in the eyes and ignored the way her heart lurched. "Let's hit the road, I guess."

* * *

"Haven't we already been down this way?" Cameron asked three hours later as he and Rae jogged down a narrow alleyway. Rae shook her head, saving her energy for more important questions. All of the alleys seemed to look alike, with their dirty pavement and mass of garbage cans but she was sure they hadn't been down this one yet. Rae picked up her pace to a full run.

The sun above her was completely blocked by the clouds, leaving the day to seem as if it were nearing dusk. Rae shivered slightly against the wind and pulled her uniform jacket closer to her as she ran. She was a good distance ahead of Cameron, when she turned down another side street. She stopped dead in her tracks when her gaze landed on a group of guys blocking her path. Her appearance was quickly noticed, and a tall man with a tattoo crawling up the side of his neck stepped toward her from out of the group. A murmur of satisfaction broke out as they eyed Rae with intense interest.

At that moment, Rae was very aware of the fact she was still in school uniform, her skirt hitting just mid-thigh. She knew they were trouble, just by the way they were staring at her.

"You look lost," the tattooed man said with a smirk.

"Um, I was…I just…" Rae's heart sounded very loud in her chest, she hoped they couldn't here it as well. They knew she was afraid, she could tell, which only seemed to excite them more. She tried to push her fear away, but that was a hard thing to do when eight burly men were moving in her direction.

A thick man with an eyebrow piercing licked his lips as he pulled himself from the group and even closer to Rae. "We can help you find your way around."

"No." Rae took a step backwards, the temptation to use her Power strong in her mind. But she couldn't Use, not in front of those who didn't know about the existence of magic. So instead, she cleared her throat. "I'm not lost. I just-"

"Come on, baby," came another voice, causing a low chuckle to go through the small group. "Let us help you."

Though his words said one thing, they implied something else. She knew they had their minds set, and she knew she was in trouble. There was a brief pause before Rae spun on her heels and darted down the way she came, instantly hearing heavy footsteps behind her. Laughter reached her ears which sent a panic through her body. They were enjoying her fear and the chase. She was their prey; a mouse being chased by a pack of angry, hungry cats.

"Come back! We're just trying to be nice!"

Rae concentrated on her feet, trying desperately not to trip on the junk that scattered the tiny alley. She chanced a glance over her shoulder, only to see them a turn the corner, faces full of determination to catch up with her. They were closing in on her fast despite her effort to stay ahead. Rae twisted back around just in time to leap over a shopping cart on its side, stumbling as she landed. The sounds of their footsteps were closer now so Rae took another chance and flung herself down another side street. She had just turned the corner when a pair of strong arms grabbed her and pulled her quickly into the darkness of an abandoned shop.

A hand flew over her mouth as she opened her mouth to scream. All she could think of was that one of them had caught up to her. But Rae wouldn't let him have it that easily, nor would she let fear stop her from fighting back. With swiftness that surprised even herself, she bit down hard. The taste of blood filled her mouth as her attacker loosened his grip. "Shit!"

Rae spun around preparing to continue to fight when a soft light fell across her attacker's face through the busted down door and gasped. Cameron stood before her cradling his bleeding hand.

"Oh! I'm sor-" She was interrupted by the shouts and laughter of her predators. Forgetting his wound, Cameron pulled Rae flush against his chest and out of sight, so that if one of them happened to look into their hiding place, they wouldn't be spotted.

"She got away!" They heard one say angrily while another shouted that he thought she went further down the alley. After they couldn't hear their footsteps any longer, Rae spoke as she stared out into the alley.

"Do you think they're gone?"

When Cameron didn't a reply, Rae looked up at him to see him staring at her. It was then that she noticed that her hands were resting on his muscular chest and that his grip had loosened enough so his arms linked around her waist. Her face flushed red and she was glad it was dark where they hid. This was the first time they had touched since their break-up.

"Rae…" Cameron breathed her name so softly that Rae's breath caught in her throat. He tilted his face forward as if to kiss her but Rae pushed away from him gently and cleared her throat.

"We don't have much longer," she said, turning to the doorway. "We need to keep looking."

Rae still had a blush on her cheeks as she walked back out into the alley. As much as she would have liked to kiss him again, she couldn't help but be a little angry that he would even try. It had been _his_ choice to end things, not hers. Cameron stepped out behind her, his handsome face expressionless as he lifted his still bleeding hand to inspect it.

Rae felt a twang of guilt. "I'm sorry I bit you. I thought you were one of them."

A small smile hung on his lips. "You were defending yourself, so it's okay." He continued to stare at her, giving the same look he had before he tried to kiss her.

"How did you know I was being chased anyway?" asked Rae, looking away from him for a second before returning it. The look was gone from his eyes now, but he still stared as he pointed to his ears.

"Wolf senses," he said simply with a shrug before speaking with anger. "I heard them talking to you, I didn't hear word for word what they said but I didn't like what I did hear. I could hear how scared you were."

Rae gave him a look of surprise. "You mean you could see how scared I was."

Cameron shook his head. "No, I mean I heard…your heartbeat was out of control."

"Oh," was all she replied. She was glad he didn't use his power when she had been in his arms because he would have for sure heard her racing heart. "Well, thank you."

"Yeah," Cameron said absently as if something else was on his mind. "No problem." If the situation could have been anymore awkward Rae would have died. Here she was thanking her ex-boyfriend who used to be her best friend for saving her life. She bit her lip as she watched Cameron's retreating form before jogging to catch up with him.

When was everything going to be okay, again?

* * *

The halls of Spenser Academy were crowded and loud as Reid tried to weave in and out of the students. He frowned to himself and fought the urge to punch the next kid who bumped into him on their hurry out of the school's doors. He couldn't help but think that if he were still back in school, he wouldn't have had to push or shove his way to his destination. Back in his days, the other students parted themselves like the Red Sea to make way for Reid Garwin.

"Mr. Garwin," said a voice from behind him. Reid turned to see Kelsey Abbot smiling at him, her hand in her locker reaching for a book.

"Oh, hey Kelsey," Reid returned the smile, inwardly glaring at the annoying kids pushing past him. "Have you seen Rome or the gang? I can't seem to find them."

"Well, Tristan and I sort of got…" Kelsey shook her head and glanced away. "Never mind, it's stupid. But no, I haven't seem them. Bethany said he didn't met her after her class, though, he usually does. I don't know, maybe they left already." She grabbed what she needed from her locker, shoved them into her backpack and swung it over her shoulder. "It was nice seeing you again, Mr. Garwin. Oh and I hope Peyton feels better."

Reid looked away as Kelsey joined the throng of students scurrying from the building. He wished with all his heart that Peyton was just sick with the flu instead of missing. Just like the rest of his family, he wanted Peyton safe and at home with them. But most of all he wanted Chase dead, and for good this time.

Reid looked up and down the hallway in search of his children. As the minutes ticked by, there was still no sign of them. A slow panic started to creep up on him as he moved quickly back to the front doors of the school and looked out at the parking lot. His heart dropped to his toes when he didn't see Cameron's car. "Oh my God…"

They were gone. There was no sign of them and he had a very good idea of the reason why they had disappeared. He was about to call the others when a black Mustang pulled into the school's lot. In the front seat were Rae and Cameron.

Off in the distance, Reid saw two figures that looked like Tristan and Rome emerge from the woods near the far building. Reid clenched his jaw and shoved the front doors open, glad that the school grounds were scarce of other students.

Cameron was the first one to see him, his face fell and his eyes went to Rae who was climbing out of the car.

"Are you kidding me right now?" Reid shouted at his daughter, loud enough for even Tristan and Rome to hear from across the parking lot.

"Dad!" she squealed, jumping in surprise. She tried to smile but she knew they'd been caught. Reid reached Cameron and Rae just as Tristan and Rome did, all with guilty faces.

"You better have a damn good excuse for being out of school, and unprotected," Reid spat out in anger. "Where did you go? And you better not say what I think you're going to say…"

Rae bit her lip and turned to the guys for any kind of help, but they seemed to be just as at a loss for words as she was. _Busted_, she thought. "Dad, we were just-"

"Just what?" Her dad interrupted heatedly. "Trying to get yourselves killed? Dammit! You four have lost your minds. What the hell were you thinking, huh?"

Rome let his head hang a little as he spoke. "We were looking for Peyton. We thought that if we helped it would double the chances of finding her."

No one spoke for a moment as Reid shook his head and bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from saying something he shouldn't out of anger. A copper taste filled his mouth and he knew he had drawn blood. After a few minutes of tensed silence, Reid looked from one kid to the next.

"I understand that you wanted to help find Peyton, and trust me, the extra eyes would have helped. But you've never been through anything like this! Sure, you can Use and control your powers but what if you would have came face to face with Chase?" He stopped himself from imagining what could have happened and shivered as an image of the kids laying dead on the ground slipped through. "I cannot believe you would be so stupid as to go out on your own."

Reid's gaze rested on his children, their eyes full of guilt and hurt pride. He could tell that they had been proud of themselves, thinking that they were helping out, but didn't realize the consequences of their actions. They didn't realize how, just in one single moment, Reid nearly broke down.

"We're sorry, daddy," Rae said, her blue eyes wet with tears. "We were just trying to help. We didn't mean to worry you. I just want to find Peyton so bad…"

Reid nodded his understanding, because he too wanted to find Peyton. "I want you four to promise me that you will never go out on your own again. Not until this is all handled."

The Sons and Daughter of Ipswich nodded their heads quickly. Reid closed his eyes and sucked in a deep, calming breath to slow his heart rate down. "You're lucky Thorin didn't pick you up, he'd give you a serious whoopin'. Then he'd tell your mothers, and a mother's ass whoopin' is worse, trust me."

Tristan and Cameron smiled weakly as Rae wiped the tears from her eyes. Reid pointed directly to Cameron who froze for being singled out. "I'm following you home," he said before heading to his car parked only a few spots away. "Oh, and you're all grounded."

* * *

It had been days since he'd seen or heard from her, and Quinn was starting to think his plan of keeping Peyton from Chase had worked. She was mad at him after all, furious actually. And he was happy. Well, as happy as he could be. Sure, he was upset about having to stay away from Peyton but as long as it kept her away from Chase then he would gladly make that sacrifice.

Though he figured she was safe from Chase, he wanted to be extremely sure. Quinn knew what he was about to do was wrong but he had to find out if Peyton was okay. He grabbed his cell phone from his bedside table and glanced at the time. 3:56 p.m. She'd be out of school by now. Taking a deep, readying breath, Quinn dialed her number and put the phone to his ear.

It didn't take long before it went to voicemail.

Quinn closed his eyes and tossed his phone onto the bed. When he opened his eyes back open, he looked directly into his own reflection in the mirror that hung on the wall from where he stood. On the outside he looked fine, but on the inside he was falling apart. He'd never admit it out loud but he knew he had fallen for Peyton. It was obviously true because Chase had been the one to notice it. He wondered if she had noticed it as well. Something about her just got him hooked…and then he had to go and ruin everything. _Ruined everything for her_, he thought.

Peyton had been fine until he showed up and broke her heart, she had even admitted to falling for him. Quinn replayed the memory back to the night Peyton had showed up at his doorstep for the millionth time in his head. The hurt was evident on her face peeking through the mask of anger. All he wanted to do was protect her, but in the end all he did was hurt her.

He didn't know what kind of guy Chase was, and he was stupid enough not to ask in the beginning. All he thought of back then was the money Chase had offered. After all, Quinn had been alone and unhappy, and money could fix his unhappiness…or so he thought.

It was strange, Quinn thought, that he hadn't heard from Chase either. Not that he was complaining or anything, he was glad that he hadn't. Maybe now Chase would leave both him and Peyton alone. Quinn smiled at his own reflection. His gaze was torn from the mirror when his phone rang obnoxiously loud from its place on his bed. He snatched it up and answered it, not even bothering to look who was calling. "Hello?"

"Quinn, meet me in Boston."

Quinn froze in place, his eyes wide with shock. "Chase?"

"Yes, it's Chase. Are you surprised?" Chase laughed, though nothing was amusing. "Anyways, me at four-thirty. I'll send you the address. I have something for you."

"I don't want your money, Chase. I'm done working for you-"

"It's not about the money, Quinn," Chase interrupted impatiently. "I have a little surprise for you. So you better leave now or else I might change my mind and not share it with you."

The line clicked, signaling Chase had ended the conversation. Quinn stood, frozen in place, unsure of what to do. Something in Chase's voice sent a shiver up his spine, sprawling goose bumps across his skin. But despite the feeling he had, he was curious as to what the surprise was. Actually, if he was being honest, he was a little scared.

Quinn let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding and felt his chest tighten uncomfortably. He walked from his room and into the living room where the dim glow from the street lights streamed into the window, being the only source of light. Boxes upon boxes littered the room, some empty, some full of his things. It had took him only a day to realize that he didn't belong in Ipswich. Besides there was no reason for him to stay now. Nearly blind from the dark, Quinn grabbed the keys to his motorcycle and shrugged on his black leather jacket.

When he stepped outside, the bitter air nipped at his exposed skin. He pulled his jacket closer and hurried across the small apartment parking lot. It was times like these that he wished he had a car instead of a motorcycle. The red Ducati sat almost alone, only a few cars keeping it company. Quinn pulled on his helmet as he straddled his bike, sticking the keys in the ignition.

The memory of Peyton's arms wrapped firmly around him on his first date with her sent a stab at his heart. He remembered the smell of her hair and the way her lips felt against his. Quinn shook his head and took a deep breath, mentally telling himself to forget about her. As hard as it would be, he had to forget about Peyton Parry…for her sake. A small, sad smile crossed his lips as he pictured her one last time, her happy face floating in his mind's eye before closing all memory of her out of his thoughts for good.

I'll never see her again, he told himself, so it's best to forget about her.


	14. Chapter 14

**AUTHORS NOTE: ** Hey, all! It's been a while I know but school is over now so that means I'll have more time for writing =)

Thanks to those who favorited my stories and thanks to _Angel of the Night Watchers_ and _Luli Cullen_ for reviewing!

* * *

Chapter 14

Rescue

The roar of the motorcycle's engine echoed off the tall buildings as Quinn rode through a narrow, abandoned alley. He slowed to a stop and lifted his helmet from his head, the chilly air causing goose bumps to sprout over his exposed skin. The building he stared at towered over him, sitting empty and quiet. Quinn's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Why would Chase give him an address to an abandoned building? He didn't know the answer and didn't have time to think about it before a door to his right squeaked open and out stepped Chase.

Quinn frowned at the sight of his former employer as he shifted his helmet to his other hand, waiting for Chase to speak.

"Why am I here?" Quinn asked after Chase didn't say anything. A slow grin spread across Chase's face as he propped open the metal door with his shoulder.

"Now if I told you why you were here the surprise would be ruined," he laughed as if he found what he said amusing. "Come on, pretty boy. The anticipation is killing me." Chase waited as Quinn stood staring, clearly hesitant about being there. There was something in his eyes that Quinn couldn't place, and it unnerved him. But only after a few moments he stepped forward and followed Chase into the building.

Inside it was just as quiet though not nearly as cold. In fact, the air was humid and sat heavily in Quinn's lungs. The stench was moldy and old. His footsteps echoed on the concrete floor as he followed Chase's path. Down the hallway and up the dusty stairs they went, never talking. The halls were covered in dirt and the windows in grime. A door that sat on his left was hanging from its hinges as if someone busted it down.

"Are you ready for your surprise?" Chase asked, stopping in front of a door that Quinn was closed. A soft light came from under the door way. Before Quinn could answer, Chase pushed the it open.

Quinn stepped in after him and his heart sank with fear as his gaze landed on the one girl he was trying to protect. Peyton Parry sat in the middle of the room, staring at Quinn with hazy wide eyes. She was just as shocked to see him as he was to see her.

* * *

It was Friday night, and Rome, Tristan, and Cameron were sitting in the room Rae shared with her mother. Rae sat on her bed with her knees pulled to her chest, watching Tristan pace back and forth. She tried to ignore the way Cameron was watching her, but it was hard. Every time she would look at him, her heart leapt. Rome sat next to her, staring off in space.

Tired of pacing, Tristan threw himself down into a chair. Reid had forbidden them to step out of their rooms, his way of grounding them without the others knowing. He had been furious to find out they had skipped school and went searching for Peyton themselves. And to be honest, Rae couldn't blame him. It had been stupid for them to do so.

"How much longer do you think they'll be?" Rome said, bringing all of them out of their thoughts. All but Paige and Rylee had gone out in the continuous search for Peyton, but they were off somewhere else in the house. The others had been gone for hours and had still not returned home.

"I'm tired," Rae said suddenly. When nobody moved, she sighed and gave them all pointed looks.

Tristan was the first to move. He moved from the chair to Rae, where he placed a kiss on her cheek. "Night."

She smiled back at him just as Cameron stood and walked to the door. He only turned around to give her a small smile before disappearing with Tristan right behind him.

Rome got to his feet and kissed his sister on the forehead. After saying goodnight, he left the room and as he walked down the hallway to where he was temporarily sharing a room with Cameron and Tristan, his phone started to ring. Looking at the caller id he smiled as he answered.

"Hey, baby," Rome said.

"Hi, handsome," came Bethany's voice through the phone. "I have a surprise for you."

"Oh, do you?" he replied, shifting the phone from one shoulder to the other. "What is it?"

"Come outside and see for yourself." Bethany laughed before hanging up the phone. Rome's smile faded just a fraction. Bethany was here, outside of the Simms Manor, where Thorin was guarding the house. Where Peyton was supposedly sick in bed. He bit his lip as he turned around and made his way down the stairs.

Just as he expected, Thorin stood in the living room, gazing out the window.

"Mr.-I mean, Rome," Thorin greeted with a nod of his hairless head then glanced at the clock. "It's late, and it's a school night…"

"Uhh, yeah, it is," Rome looked to the door and licked his lips. "I just left something in my car. Do you care if I run out and get it?" He felt silly for asking for permission but Thorin was their protector after all.

Thorin studied him for a few moments, then nodded. Rome smiled and gave a mental sigh of relief as he put his hand on the door and walked outside. In the week that had passed since Peyton's kidnapping December had arrived, bringing with it frigid air and a light snow.

Bethany stood in the driveway grinning from ear to ear, she was wrapped in a thick black and white plaid wool coat. Her blonde hair was curled slightly and blew in the wind as she stepped out of her car.

"Surprise," she said when Rome stood in front of her. "I missed you."

Rome grinned back as he kissed her soft lips. He glanced over his shoulder to see if Thorin could see them from where they stood but the window drapes were now closed. Rome grinned as he turned back to his girlfriend. "I missed you too. So what's the surprise for?"

"I just realized something. We've been dating for three months today." Bethany smiled sweetly, and gave her shoulders a shrug. "I just wanted to say Happy Anniversary." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him hard. When she opened her eyes, Rome kissed her nose gently.

"I love you, Bethany," he whispered, gazing into her blue eyes.

"I love you, too," she replied with a grin. "How's Peyton doing? She hasn't been answering any of my calls or texts."

Rome looked away from her as he answered with a lie, just as he'd done every time someone asked him about Peyton's health. "She's still sick, so she needs her rest. And I think, her dad took her phone."

"Must be some flu," Bethany said with a sympathetic frown. "But I have to go. I just wanted to tell you Happy Anniversary. Good night, Garwin. Call me tomorrow. Oh, and tell Peyton I miss her face and to get better quick." She kissed him one more time and gave a wink as she got in her car.

Rome watched her go, grinning all the while. He couldn't help but think she was perfect. Everything about her was amazing; her smile, her blue eyes, the way she walked, her personality…Rome could go on and on. He turned back to the house to see that the curtains had been drawn open again.

Once back inside, Rome locked the door. "Thanks for the privacy," he called to Thorin as he jogged up the stairs. Thorin's laugh could be heard as he made it to the second floor then down the hall to Tristan's room. The room was large, like the others in the house, but had a flat screen T.V. and a wall of shelves filled with movies. Tristan was a huge movie buff. A king-sized bed sat along one wall and two air mattresses sat cozily in the middle of the floor. Tristan and Cameron were already in their beds, drifting to sleep.

Rome pulled off his shirt and fell onto his own mattress where he quickly fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Peyton!" Quinn yelled in shock and fear.

Peyton was bound, her ankles and wrists tied to a chair. The wire cut deep into her skin, leaving it bruised and bloody; duct tape covered her mouth. Quinn lunged forward in a run but Chase caught him around the arm, his grip tight. Quinn jerked his arm from Chase's grasp and shoved him hard in the chest. "What the hell did you do to her? Untie her now!"

Quinn felt anger boil in his chest as Chase started to laugh, the sound wild. In anger, Quinn couldn't stop himself as his fist tightened and punched Chase right in the jaw, sending him to the ground. He spun around to go to Peyton's side but was stopped again, this time not by a hand. The force that wrapped its way around Quinn's chest was strong, squeezing the breath from him easily. He found that he couldn't move. Panic made his heart leap into a marathon as Chase walked in front of him and wiped the blood that trickled down his chin with the back of his hand.

"You shouldn't have done that, Quinn," Chase growled as he lifted his gaze to the boy's. The eyes that now stared at him were no longer the blue he had known. The whites had disappeared and were replaced by a full dark eyes.

"What are you!" Quinn yelled, struggling against the force that held him. But nothing he did broke him free. This seemed to amuse Chase because a malice smile crossed his face.

"What am I? I am your worst nightmare," he said, his face twisted into crazed amusement. Chase looked around himself as if the room were filled with people and leaned in closer to speak in a whisper. "And your girlfriend is a witch." He threw his head back and laughed. "Her whole family is! And I'm having a little reunion with them, and guess what? You're invited to the celebration! But for now you will stay here."

Chase moved toward the door, dragging Quinn behind him like a balloon full of helium. They moved through the hallway and down a flight of stairs, only stopping when Chase pushed open a door that Quinn hadn't noticed earlier. The room was dim, the only light came from a small candle set on top if a side table. Chase put him in the room, taking whatever power he had over Quinn as he did.

"Stay here," Chase laughed. "I'll be back."

Quinn fell to the ground, his gaze locked on the door as it clicked shut.

He was dumbfounded. A shiver raked his body as he thought of Chase's midnight eyes, so full of power. How he knew it was any sort of power, Quinn had no idea, he just…felt it. But could he believe it actually existed?

When he was younger, magic was just a fairytale, a story. Magic was make believe. But now he wasn't so sure. There was magic in the world, he started to realize, it had just been hidden and kept a secret. _And Peyton is in that world_, he thought as he remembered Chase's words, _she is a witch._

As he looked around the room, he had never been so afraid in his entire life. His whole world he had lived in was a lie. He had just found out that his girlfriend...ex-girlfriend who was a witch of all things, had been kidnapped, and that there was magic in the world. Actual magic! Chase was crazy, he was a kidnapper and for all Quinn knew, he could be a killer. It wouldn't surprise him if Chase was. He could die any moment, he knew it. And though most of his fear was a great deal for himself, some of it was for Peyton. Whatever Chase wanted, she was the key to it. He didn't care that she was a witch and he was going to save her. The first thing he had to do was get out of the room.

But how, was the question.

Quinn looked around the small room, searching for any means of escape. There was a single window that was set high in one wall though it was too small for him to fit through. The door was locked, he'd heard the lock click after Chase had shut it. The door was the only way out. Slowly, Quinn stood and made sure he was stable on his feet before trying to walk. When he was confident he wouldn't fall over, he went to the door and knelt down. Taking a deep breath, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet; inside it was a tiny hairpin.

When he was younger, Quinn used to pick the lock to his father's liquor cabinet and sneak out of the house to party with his friends. He had gotten in a lot of trouble for things like that but now, as he twisted and worked on the lock, he was thankful that he had learned the skill. After a few minutes of concentration the lock clicked and the door swung inward. Quinn grinned.

He stepped out into the hallway with a racing heart, afraid that with every step he took Chase would appear in front of him. He shivered at the thought, but willed himself not to let his growing fear take over. Quinn's hazel gaze darted around, glancing behind him every few seconds. Soon he was jogging up the stairs, his feet falling as quietly as he could manage on the concrete steps. The door that concealed Peyton was only feet in front of him. He picked up his pace into a run, his hands hit the door and shoved it open.

"Peyton," he spoke in a low tone. Her gaze found his and her eyes widened as Quinn ran to her side. "Hold on. I'm going to get you out of here." He ripped the duct tape from her lips as gently has he could, but an angry red mark was left on her mouth.

"What are you doing?" she said, her voice weak and her words slurred as he fought with the wire at her ankles. "He could come back."

"I'm not going to leave you here!" Quinn cursed under his breath, realizing that his attempts with the strand of wire were useless. He looked feverishly around, searching the room for anything that would help him get Peyton untied. There on the table sat a sharp knife; it only took a few moments to get the knife, return to Peyton and work at releasing her.

After succeeding in cutting through all wires that held her wrists and ankles, Quinn stood and tossed the knife to the side which made a loud clank as it hit the ground. His chest rose and fell quickly as looked over his shoulder to the door. Chase could walk in at any moment, he knew, Peyton had to know too because her heavy lidded gaze was locked on the door, too.

Peyton tried to stand but having been unable to use her legs for over a week, she staggered and tumbled forward. Quinn catch her before she hit the floor, grabbing her under the arms and lifting her to her feet. "Whoa, can you walk?"

She shook her head and clung to him for support. "He drugged me."

The muscles in Quinn's jaw tightened as anger flashed in his hazel eyes. He scooped her up in his arms, careful of her bleeding wrists and ankles, and strode to the door. The next several minutes were filled with a tense silence that grew as Quinn retraced his steps back out of the warehouse. Peyton lay in his strong arms, her gaze more alert as they suddenly stopped and Quinn set her gently down. He pressed his finger to his lips, signaling her to stay quiet but she didn't need to be told. She knew to stay quiet.

Quinn quickly and quietly moved to the door where outside his motorcycle was and peeked around the corner. All was clear, but his heart fell to see that his motorcycle was nowhere to be found. He hurried back to Peyton and lifted her in his arms again and stepped back out in the chill. He didn't know how he was going to get her back to Ipswich but he knew he had to try. So with Peyton in his arms, he moved swiftly down the narrow street.

For what seemed like hours, Quinn carried Peyton. His arms had grown shaky and tired from the weight of her weak body, but her voice had grown stronger.

"Stop," she said, breaking the silence between them. "You need to rest."

"No," Quinn replied in a single breath. "I'm okay."

"You've been carrying me for hours-"

"No," he interrupted her. It was true, he had walked for hours, but he couldn't stop now. By now Chase would know of their escape, and he would be looking for them. It was the middle of the night, or the early hours of the morning, Quinn couldn't tell. They were passing through the Boston Common now and all was still. Peyton and Quinn seemed to be the only people in the park. "We have to keep moving."

"You need to rest. Just for a few minutes," Peyton said. When he made no move to stop, her eyebrows furrowed. "Put me down, Quinn." He looked down at her face to see her staring back at him, her expression serious and commanding.

"Fine," he said, stopping just under a tree and set her on the ground, harder than he should have but she didn't protest. Taking a seat next to her, Quinn's gaze raked his surrounding for any sign of Chase or danger. A few moments of silence passed before either of them spoke.

"How did you know that guy?"

Quinn's head snapped up; Peyton was staring at him with open, questioning eyes. "I, um…" he bit his lip and took a deep breath, knowing it was time to tell the truth. "I worked for him."

And then he told her the whole story. Why he moved to Ipswich, the job Chase had given him, how he was told to get close to her and bring her to Chase. He told her everything, even that he believed Chase held a magic about him. He told her he was scared of it. When he was finished he waited for her to say something, anything. She wasn't looking at him though her breathing was heavy as she processed what he had just said.

"I'm so sorry, Peyton," he continued when she kept quite. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I didn't know, I swear. Please, you have to believe me. I had no idea that Chase…that he was…"

Peyton raised her gaze to his, searching his eyes frantically, looking for any sign of deception. As she stared, she realized the mystery that had been held in his eyes since the day she had met him was gone; all that was there now, was honesty. "I believe you."

Quinn let out a shaky breath as Peyton's hand came to rest on his forearm. Her touch was warm, though her skin was ice cold. He grabbed her hand and held them in between both of his. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," she answered. "But I still can't use my powers-" Peyton stopped herself and glanced up at him to see his reaction. Chase had told him that she was a witch, but it hadn't come out of her own mouth. Saying it now, and to someone without powers, was frowned upon.

Quinn nodded his head, still a little bewildered with the nights events, though he tried hard not to show it.

A car alarm sounded from far off in the distance, startling them both. "We should get out of here. Do you think you can walk?"

Peyton nodded and stood gingerly on her feet but made sure to hold onto Quinn as she did. "How are we going to get back to Ipswich?"

Quinn focused on the sound of the car alarm. An idea formed in his mind. "I have an idea but I don't think you're going to like it." Peyton's eyebrows pulled together in confusion in one second but comprehension dawned on her in the next.

"We're going to steal a car, aren't we?"

* * *

It was an hour or two from dawn when Blake woke up with a sudden start. She had had another nightmare about her daughter and how they would never find her. Tears formed in her eyes as she stood from bed, careful not to wake her husband as she did, and left the room.

Downstairs in the Simms living room she was able to cry without the worry of waking anyone. Loud sobs ripped from her chest as the image of her daughter floated in her mind's eye. Peyton had been missing for nearly a week now, and every day without her daughter had broke her, though she tried to stay strong. But now Blake could feel the hope and determination slip. She was never going to find her daughter and for the years to come she wouldn't blame herself. She would blame Caleb. It was his fault she was missing, his fault because he didn't tell anyone of his dream about Chase.

Blake felt a cold fury forming in her chest at the thought of her husband's best friend. Caleb had become a close friend of hers, too, but his choice to keep them in the dark about the dream made her fear from Peyton's disappearance turn to hate for Caleb.

"Blake?"

Blake looked up to see Pogue standing in the door frame of the living room, still sleepy looking. She sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a rush with her words. "We're not going to find her, Pogue. She's been gone for so long, he would have killed her by now! It's all because of-"

But Blake never got to finish her sentence, and later she would be thankful for it, for a car's headlights caught her attention. A car was coming down the driveway of the Simms' house.

"Pogue," Blake said, clutching his arm.

"Go get the others," Pogue commanded as he followed Blake's gaze.

Blake didn't move. Her heart pounded. Something held her to that spot as she watched the car move closer to the house. Pogue repeated himself, this time more forcefully before calling out for Thorin. And this time, she did move, but not for the stairs that would lead her to the others. Instead she raced to the door, threw it open and dashed down the stairs before anyone could stop her. Pogue shouted for her to stop but it was too late, the car had stopped in front of her.

Blake gasped as the passenger stepped from the car. She felt as if she were about to pass out from shock and surprise as her gaze took in the sight of her daughter. "Peyton!" she cried out, tears falling down her cheeks as she rushed toward Peyton and threw her arms around her.

Peyton's knees buckled from the weight but she had gained her strength on the drive home and held her mother up. Her mother's words became lost in the sobs, making it impossible to understand Blake's words.

Pogue had come out of the house, shock was all over his face. The tears that had fallen while she held her mother poured from her eyes.

"Dad!" Peyton called out as Pogue raced down the steps and embraced both his wife and daughter. Words were at a loss, they couldn't describe how the two felt. Their daughter was home, Peyton was safe.

"It's not safe outside," Blake managed to say through her sobs.

"Wait," Peyton said when Pogue went to guide the two girls inside the house. She turned her head to the car and smiled. "Come on."

Pogue and Blake shared the same questioning look as a boy with ruffled blonde hair stepped out of the car. He hesitated after closing the door, his gaze on the elder Parry's before landing on Peyton. The protective father side of Pogue kicked into high gear as the stranger's gaze went to his daughter.

"Who is he?" Pogue asked Peyton, his eyes wary of the boy he's never seen before.

"This is Quinn," Peyton said. "He saved my life."


	15. Chapter 15

**AUTHORS NOTE: **Hey All! Thank you to all who have supported my stories, both Four by Four and Generation of Five! It's unreal! =)

I wanted to thank _Luli Cullen_, _Angel of the Night Watchers_, and _runs1with2wolves_ for their reviews. They make me so happy. Hope you all enjoy the next chapter!

* * *

Chapter 15

Back Safe, Only to Leave Again

It had been a hour since Peyton's return. The sky outside had brightened and the winter clouds had turned pink by the rising sun. When Peyton had walked into the house, a man she had never seen before introduced himself as Thorin, a Watcher. He told her he'd been protecting the four families during her time missing. She was very grateful, though she didn't have time to voice it because at that moment River, Rylee and Paige came rushing into the living room with Tyler, Reid, and Caleb close behind them.

Everything was a happy chaos from that moment on. All were tears and cries of happiness at the sight of their returned niece. Questions flew at her, all wondering who the strange boy was. Peyton quickly told them that Quinn had saved her life, purposefully leaving out the part he played in Chase's plan for revenge. She expected them to ask further questions about her rescuer but in an instant he was forgotten, and she knew Quinn was glad to be out of the spotlight.

Instead, the questions were directed at Peyton, so she started from the beginning, telling them all she could remember, which to be honest wasn't much. She felt useless with the little information she had. The whole week when she was in Chase's possession was a blur, a fuzzy memory of pictures in her head. She did, however, remember when she woke up for the first time and the fear that had flooded her body. She had never been so scared in her entire life. Her heart began to race and her hands shook just thinking about it.

Blake noticed the fear in her daughter's face, and tears started to well in her already red, puffy eyes. "I don't understand why he wanted Peyton out of the rest of us…but now we know where he is! We need to end this before he has the chance to do it again!"

Thorin, who was standing near the mantle of the fireplace, spoke. "She is the first female of the Covenant, the most powerful in the history of the families. It is no surprise that he wanted her for her power." Everyone's gaze was on him, but he was looking at Peyton. "But she is safe now. She is here where she can be protected and watched over. Chase is a single man, we have over a dozen here with powers. He doesn't stand a chance. But we can't just go after him."

"Why not?" Tyler Simms said from next to his wife. "You said it yourself, he doesn't stand a chance."

Several people opened their mouths to agree with the Son of Ipswich but Peyton was terrified of the subject, and the fact that everyone was talking about killing and fighting scared her even more. She knew in the past her parents had battled and fought off their own enemies and had heard stories about it, but this was too real. She didn't want to hear anymore of it.

"Stop," she said, her eyes closed tightly. She took a deep breath and shook her head. "I can't hear anymore about it."

Everyone's gaze went to her but she kept quiet, she couldn't find herself able to speak. Thankfully, Paige spoke for her. "You're right, Peyton. You've been through a lot…why don't you go and wake your friends? They've been so worried about you."

Peyton nodded as she stood and walked toward the stairs, but paused and looked back at Quinn. He stared at her with desperation, obviously not wanting to let her out of his sight. It was because of him that she was safe, and though she had believed him about his part in Chase's plan, it was still partly his fault that she was in that mess in the first place. She couldn't deny it either that she still had feelings for him. He had been so brave, and even though she knew he'd been just as scared as she was, Quinn was able to keep his fears at bay and get her out of the warehouse and away from Chase.

"I still have a few more questions for Quinn," Reid said, noticing Peyton's hesitation. "Then I'll show him to a spare bedroom."

"No, it's okay," Quinn started awkwardly. "I can just go home, it's-"

"You're a part of this now, Quinn, whether you like it or not." Caleb stated, but not unkindly. His dark-eyed gaze was locked on him. "You will stay here until this mess is sorted out."

Peyton knew that Quinn wanted to argue, and was surprised when he shut his mouth and nodded. His hazel gaze moved back to Peyton. "Okay."

Blake and Pogue walked their daughter from the room and into the foyer where it was quiet and empty. Pogue kissed Peyton's forehead, then Blake pulled Peyton into a tight embrace.

"I'm so happy you're back," she cried.

"I missed you," Peyton responded, tears forming in her eyes. Blake squeezed her daughter tighter before pulling back.

"We love you so much, Peyton," Blake whispered as she brushed Peyton's dark hair from her face. "Rae and the others have been crazy without you. Why don't you go wake them? The boys are in Tristan's room. Rae is in the blue spare bedroom."

Peyton hesitated. Of course she missed her friends like crazy and couldn't wait to see them. But she was exhausted and to be honest, didn't want to be bombarded with millions of question about her kidnapping. She had already answered thousands for the adults, and to repeat herself would be extremely tiring. "I…I think I'm just going to sleep."

If Blake was surprised by her reply she did well to hide it. "Of course. You must be…well, I'll be up in a little while." She kissed Peyton's cheek and gave her a gentle push toward the stairs.

Without another word, Peyton trudged up the stairs, her knees still a little shaky and weak. Once she made it onto the second landing, she allowed the tears that had been caught on the rims of her eyes escape with a tiny sob. She bit her lip to stop a full breakdown. She was finally home. In her drugged sleep she would dream, but the terrifying images kept her in a state in between unconsciousness and reality. She remembered hearing all that was around her though she could not see anything at all or speak. She had been terrified.

With a hand on the wall, she walked down the dark hallway blindly. She pushed the door open at the end and fell onto the bed, immediately closing her eyes to welcome sleep. But the tears that raked her body came too fast, making it impossible for sleep to come at that time, even though she was beyond exhausted. Peyton shoved her head into a pillow and forced away the nightmares that had haunted her for the past week.

Though she was glad to be home and safe, it scared her even more to think of what Chase would do now that Peyton was no longer his hostage. Thorin was right, the house was full of those with powers, but somehow Peyton sensed that Chase's were just as great.

* * *

Tristan woke earlier than he usually would on a Saturday morning. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep but found it close to impossible. Something was keeping him up. Sighing, he pushed the blankets away from him and stood from bed as quietly as he could as to not wake the others. But Cameron or Rome weren't in their beds; he was alone in his room. After glancing at the clock, Tristan walked from the room and into the hallway where he made his way down the long set of stairs.

It was a little after nine but the house buzzed with voices. _Everyone must be awake already_, he thought with surprise. He followed the sounds of small chatter, and when he walked into the kitchen, he saw that everyone was wide awake. And what was more strange, everyone looked happy. The thick layer of sadness that had floated through the house since Peyton's kidnapping was now gone.

"Good morning!" Rae called as she practically skipped toward Tristan, her blonde hair flopping behind her. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Rome, Cameron, Caleb and Reid sat at the small kitchen table, already eating their plate full of egg, sausage and hash browns.

"What's going on?" Tristan asked once he was out of Rae's grip. His gaze fell onto his mother who was cooking happily over the gas stove-top where three pans full of delicious smelling food sizzled. The others bustled around the kitchen as if things weren't out of control and their world was no longer upside down. He looked back at Rae with a thudding heart.

"Tristan," Rae smiled and pulled her friend through the swinging door that led to the living room. When she spoke next her eyes were sparkling and her voice filled with excitement. "Peyton's home."

Tristan felt his stomach flip. He repeated her words in his mind several times before he found his voice to speak. "She's back?"

Rae nodded and took in an easy breath. "She's upstairs taking a shower. I just saw her…" Her smile faded a little as a thought crossed her mind. "She didn't talk about what happened but my mom told me everything. It's horrible, Tristan. That Chase guy drugged her so she couldn't Use. That's why I couldn't find her on the Link… Listen, she's been through a lot so we can't ask her about anything. Thorin said we should wait for her to speak to us about it."

"Okay," was all he could say. Though he was overjoyed that Peyton was home, he couldn't help but feel as if he had been put on the outside of things. Peyton was back, for how long she's been back, he didn't know but it was long enough for everyone else to find out before him. "How did she get away?"

"Oh!" Rae's eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth as she giggled. "I almost forgot! Quinn saved her."

Tristan's eyebrows knitted together in surprise and confusion. "Quinn? As in Peyton's guy, Quinn?"

"Yeah! He went all knight-in-shining-armor on her and came to the rescue. I mean, he's still an ass but he brought Peyton home. So for her sake, I'm going to try to be nice." Rae smiled and pointed a finger at Tristan. "And I suggest you do the same." Her gaze focused on something behind Tristan. "Speaking of…"

Tristan turned around to see Quinn walking into the room, then pause hesitantly when he spotted Rae and Tristan.

"Hey," Quinn said, trying to cover how unsure he felt with a forced smile. "This place is so huge. I, um, can't find the kitchen."

"Hey, Quinn." Rae smiled in greeting. She glanced at Tristan as if to send the message: Be nice. As subtly as she could, Rae gave him a small nudge in his side with her elbow. When Tristan didn't say anything, Rae sighed. "Come on, _I'll _show you where the kitchen is."

Quinn glanced almost shyly at Tristan as he walked by and followed Rae into the kitchen; Tristan watched him go just as an uneasy feeling settled into his stomach. He couldn't help but think something about Quinn's presence at the house was off. But Tristan didn't have time to think about it, because at that moment Peyton walked into the room.

Not a second passed before Tristan raced toward her and gathered the brunette into his arms. Peyton's arms wrapped around him in return and squeezed tight. He shut his eyes, happiness spread through his chest at the feel of Peyton safe in his embrace. After what felt like ages of searching and worry and what was nearing depression, Peyton was home. It was amazing how one person's absence could have such an effect on others lives. When Peyton was missing, the house was full of tension and sorrow, smiles were rarely seen and fights were expected any minute.

But now, smiles were thrown every other second, no tension remained in the air. In the few hours that Peyton had arrived back at the house, she had changed the atmosphere back to how it was supposed to be.

Peyton pulled away and smiled up at him. She looked paler, he noticed, and there were bruises under her eyes. An ugly red line circled both of her wrists, Tristan's heart squeezed at the sight. Noticing his staring, Peyton moved her arms out of sight. "It looks worse than it is," she said with a small reassuring smile. She could tell that he was tempted to say something more or ask questions but she was thankful that he kept his mouth shut.

"I missed you," she smiled and hugged him again. A big breath escaped her as she clung to him. "I didn't think I wasn't going to see anyone again."

Tristan didn't say anything. He wanted to keep her talking, but he remembered Rae's words and kept quiet. All he could do now was wait until she spoke…if she spoke. Peyton was silent for several moments. The only sound came from the room next them, where laughter and the rumble of talking was muffled by the wooden door.

Peyton spoke at last, her voice small and full of fear. She swallowed and looked up at him, her eyes full of unshed tears. "I don't really remember anything…but I've never been so scared. Every time I was close to being completely conscious, he'd drug me then everything would go black again. I thought I was going to die. If it weren't for Quinn I probably would dead."

"Yeah, about that. How did he know where to find you? I mean, he didn't-"

"Look, I don't want to talk about it anymore." Peyton glanced away and folded her arms across her chest.

Tristan stared at her, clearly aware that she was keeping something from him. But instead of pursuing it he only nodded. "Okay. We don't have to talk about it anymore. I'm sorry."

Taking a deep breath, Peyton wiped at her cheeks where the tears had fallen. "It's not your fault. I shouldn't have brought it up in the first place." She grabbed his hands and started pulling him toward the kitchen. "Let's get some breakfast. I'm starving!"

* * *

Quinn sat in the guest room he was given to sleep in while staying at the Simms manor. He tried to stay in his room for the most part and away from everyone else, only coming out to eat. It was Sunday night now and he'd barely spoken more than a few words to anyone in the house. Guilt still sat thick in his stomach, making him nauseous. Peyton had forgiven him and the others didn't know about his involvement with Chase, so why did he still feel so guilty? Probably for the very reason that no one else knew. All of them repeatedly thanked Quinn for the rescue of their beloved friend and family member. Just the previous night, Peyton's mom had fallen into his arms and sobbed her thanks…for what felt like the billionth time.

Sure, he was glad to see them happy now, he'd heard how depressing the house had been with Peyton's absence, but with every 'Thank You' he got the guilt just intensified. He figured that if he stayed away from everyone the feeling would die down.

"Hey, stranger." Peyton stood in his doorway with her hands in her pockets. Her long sleeved navy blue shirt hid the marks where the wire had dug into her skin. "You going to stay cooped up in here for forever?"

She meant it as a joke but Quinn answered it with all seriousness. "If I have to, yeah."

The smile that was on her face fell as she stepped into the room. "What's wrong?"

"Did you really just ask me that?" Quinn laughed with little humor. "Hmm, well let's see, I put your life in danger, saved you from said danger, found out that there is witch craft in the world, I'm being held prisoner and now I'm lying about everything! I'm lying that I was working with Chase. Did I leave anything out?"

Peyton bit her lip, trying hard to not laugh. Soft giggles escaped her as she sat down on the bed in front of him. Quinn's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Is something funny?"

"Yes," she replied, letting her laughter bounce off the walls of the large room.

As much as he didn't want to, Quinn felt his own laughter bubble in his throat. "Peyton, I'm serious," he tried saying with a serious face but was unsuccessful because of Peyton's giggles. "Come on, it's not funny! I'm lying to my girlfriend's family, that's not funny."

Peyton went still, her laughing stopped but a smile was at the corner of her lips. "Did you just call me your girlfriend?"

"No," he answered quickly, then just as quickly changed his answer. "Yes."

"I thought you did," Peyton grinned and leaned closer to him, placing her lips on his in a sweet kiss. His hands went to the back of her neck, deepening the kiss. When they pulled apart, Peyton breathed heavily. "Is it weird?"

"Kissing you? Well, a little," he joked, laughing when Peyton hit him on the chest.

"No, I mean is it weird knowing that I have powers now?" Peyton asked as she held his hand in hers.

"It should be, but now that I think about it, it's not so strange. Everything kind of make sense now." Quinn paused thoughtfully, remembering the conversation when they first arrived at the house. Thorin had said that Chase had gone after Peyton for her power, that her power was the greatest of the families. Though he had to admit he was a little afraid, he was more curious. Compared to him, the girl sitting on the bed was tiny in size and more innocent than ever. "Can I see it?"

Peyton blinked in surprise. "Really?"

Quinn nodded as he lifted a hand to her cheek. "If I'm going to be in your life then I want to know everything about you."

After moments of hesitation, Peyton stood and went to close the bedroom door. When she turned around, a mischievous smile was on her lips. She turned off the lights, leaving the room pitch black. Quinn stared blindly into the dark.

"What are you doing?" He asked, unable to hear anything but his own breathing. "Peyton?"

"Shh," came Peyton's voice from the darkness, though the sound was closer and startled him. Quinn went quiet and waited. Suddenly a soft glow appeared, lighting the room enough to show Peyton holding a lighter in her hands in the middle of the room. "Promise you won't freak out?"

She waited for Quinn's agreement then took a deep breath, her gaze intently on the flame in front of her. The iris of her eyes changed and glowed purple as the red-orange flames grew slowly. Peyton moved her hand through the fire. Quinn gasped in shock as the flames moved away from the lighter and danced just an inch above her palm. She dropped the lighter on the bed and with both hands played with the fire.

Quinn sat watching in amazement as the fire took many different forms, the last shape becoming a small sphere. Peyton extinguished the ball of flames in her cupped hands, throwing them into darkness for the second time. Only seconds passed before light filled the room again. Peyton stood by the light switch, waiting for Quinn's reaction.

"That was…" Quinn tried to think of the right word but none came to mind but, "Wow. Can Rae and the guys do that too?"

Relief was clear on Peyton's face as she made her way back to the bed. "Um, not really no. They have their own powers. It's kind of a long and twisted story."

Quinn gestured to the room around him. "I'm being held prisoner, Peyton. I have time, and as for the twisted part? I think I can handle it."

It was then that Peyton realized that he was right. He could handle all of this, all of what was going on. Quinn could handle the fact that her and her family were, for a lack of a word, witches. He was here with her, knowing that her whole family had a world of their own, asking to know everything about her. But as she thought about it, telling him everything could be dangerous. Chase was still out there and as long as he was, her and her family were still in danger, Quinn as well.

Her stomach flipped uncomfortably. She realized she had already told and showed him too much, and the more he knew the danger would only be greater, for both him and her family.

"Actually, that's a story for another time." Peyton walked to the door, turning around only to give him a smile. "Goodnight."

* * *

Blake laid curled next to her husband, the blankets pulled up to her shoulders. A large smile appeared on her face when the bedroom door opened and Peyton walked into the room. Pogue laughed as Peyton crawled onto the bed and squeezed between them.

"You haven't done that since you were a little girl," he said once his daughter had settled down against her mother.

Peyton smiled as her dad ruffled the top of her head, making her dark brown hair a mess. But she didn't stop him. A content silence fell over the family, and words couldn't describe how happy and relieved the couple was about having their daughter back.

The silence was broken, and Peyton didn't like the next words that came out of her mother's mouth. "Honey, your father and I have been talking…"

"And by the tone of your voice, I'm guessing I won't like what you're about to say," Peyton laughed from where she lay.

"No, I don't think you will," Pogue said as he reached for Peyton's hand and held it in a gentle manor. "Actually, we've all been talking…"

Peyton sat up slowly, her gaze on her mother. Her parents had talked to the other grown ups. At that moment, Peyton knew for a fact that she wasn't going to like what they were about to say. She took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh, preparing herself for what was about to come. "Okay, so you've been talking. About what, exactly?"

Blake sat up and grabbed Peyton's other hand. "We are sending you and the others to your Grandfather's in California. Just until we take care of Chase."

"Are you kidding?" Peyton wanted to laugh. But instead of finding humor in the situation, she felt a small bubble of anger stirring her insides. "Mom, I'm not going to Grandpa's. I just got home! I'm not going anywhere."

Now it was Pogue's time to sigh. "Peyton, you are going. We've discussed it and you are leaving tomorrow. All of you are."

"No," Peyton's voice was hard and set as she stood from the bed and walked out the room and down the hallway. She could hear her parent's footsteps behind her, so she quickened her pace. She walked into Tristan's room in a hurry to see him sitting on his bed. Rome and Cameron were sitting on the floor, and Rae was standing.

"Hey, I was just about ready to come find you," Rae said with a smile. But the expression faded when she saw the look on her best friend's face. "P, what's wrong?"

At that moment, Blake and Pogue walked into the room. Peyton narrowed her eyes at her parents. "They are sending us to California!"


	16. Chapter 16

I'll get right to it. Thank you _kvsgrl_, _Angel of the Night Wacthers_, and _Luli Cullen_ for review the last chapter. Loved them and they make me smile. =) See! Thanks to anyone else who thought of reviewing, favorited, etc. Keep it up!

* * *

Chapter 16

California Bound

_The muddy path was covered with snow, and though rain fell, Quinn trudged down the trail. A feeling in his gut told him to turn around and run away, but his feet disobeyed and continued to carry him deeper into the woods. The sky was dark with thick, gray clouds, the cold nipped at the exposed skin of his neck. But the shiver that had suddenly run down his spine had nothing to do with the weather. _

_Quinn's gaze darted furiously around him. Something told him that he wasn't alone. And he knew exactly who was there with him. _

"_Chase," he breathed as the image of his old employer appeared before him._

"_Stupid boy," Chase growled, any humor that he had ever held in his features seemed gone forever. "I was going to let you live. But after the little stunt you pulled, you just signed your death warrant." He strode closer to Quinn, each step measured and threatening. "You will die, along with your girlfriend, her family and her friends. All of you will die!"_

_Stumbling back, Quinn's heart raced as Chase yelled his last few words. His foot got caught on a loose tree root, causing him to fall hard to the ground. Chase loomed over him, his eyes as dark as a moonless night. "I know where you are, Quinn Sheel. And I'm coming for you."_

Quinn gasped in horror as his eyelids flew open. Panic lodged itself within his chest, he felt as it he was choking on it. Chase was coming. His body tensed with fear and anger at the thought of even seeing Chase around Peyton again. But then he remembered Thorin and the barriers and protective charms that he'd placed around the house. At the thought, the knot in his chest loosened, and he felt the fear subside.

His eyes closed and he exhaled. He told himself that it was just a dream. Maybe with everything that he had learned in the past 42 hours made him think the worse right off the bat. Well, no one could blame him. Quinn breathed in deeply and let it out in a rush, shaking his head to rid himself of his haste jump to conclusion.

But his slowing heart rate leapt into a marathon when the sound of shouting drifted into the room through the closed door. Before he knew what he was doing, his feet were on the floor and he was running. The only thought that was in his head was that Chase had found a way around the barrier.

_He found her! _he thought as he dashed down the long hallway, _Chase found her…_

"No!" Peyton's voice came to him as he rushed into the room where the noise was coming from and he nearly collided with Blake and Pogue who stood just inside the doorway. Peyton stood with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Rae, Cameron, Rome and Tristan stood right behind her; none looked happy.

Relief rushed through his body. Chase wasn't there, he hadn't found a way in. Peyton and her parents were having a fight. His heart slowed for the second time that night. If he kept this up he knew he would end up having a heart attack.

"Quinn!" Peyton yelled more forcefully than she'd meant to. "Maybe you can talk some sense into them." She jerked her head at Blake and Pogue who firmly held their daughter's gaze.

Confused, Quinn's gaze flickered to her parents. "What's going on?"

"They're sending us to California!" Rae said before Peyton could, her face flushed with anger.

"Just until the whole Chase situation is dealt with," Pogue said as he ran a hand tiredly over his face.

"It's not fair!" Peyton shouted, resisting the urge to stomp her foot. "What about school? I already missed a week and I can't afford to-"

"There is a crazed warlock out for revenge on your family and you're worried about school?" Quinn interrupted, worry and fear causing his tone to sound harsher than he'd meant.

Everyone's gaze went to him, disbelief on most faces. Peyton's jaw dropped, hurt and anger clear in her eyes.

"Chase is powerful, you of all people should know that," he continued in a softer voice. "And he's dangerous. Your parents just want you to be safe. So if they want to send you guys somewhere to keep you out of harm, then that's what you should do."

At that moment, Blake knew that Peyton would no longer argue. Quinn's words had clicked something inside her that her own words as a mother couldn't quite reach. Maybe it was the fact that hearing it from a parent was something a teen never wants. They want to find out what's best for them by themselves or, as in this situation, from a friend.

Knowing there was nothing much else to say, Blake walked to her daughter and wrapped her arms around her; Peyton stood like stone in her embrace. "I know you're mad but it's for the best. You'll see that." She let go and hugged Rome, Tristan, Cameron and Rae as well. "You leave at noon, so get some sleep."

As Blake joined Pogue at the door to leave, she squeezed Quinn's arm in thanks. She had been so grateful of him for bringing Peyton home, gratitude flowed to him again for his words now. He had sway over Peyton, and in any other situation, that would be a bad thing but right now Blake wasn't going to complain. The kids were safe here in the house with the protective barriers, and by tomorrow they would be across the country where they would be even more safe. And once they were far away from Ipswich, Blake and the others were going to find Chase before he finds them.

* * *

"That went well," Blake said sarcastically as she sat down on the couch between Paige and River. She rested her head against the blonde's shoulder and sighed heavily. "Why couldn't our kids just have normal lives?"

Rylee, who was curled up in the chaise lounge, laughed. "It's in our blood _not _tobe normal."

"Where's Reid?" Pogue asked Paige as he looked around the room like the blonde might be hiding somewhere.

"Sleeping," she answered with a laugh. "Can you believe even through all of this mess, Reid is still able to sleep well?"

Pogue didn't answer as he made his way to the fireplace to join Caleb and Tyler who were talking in hushed voices.

"So it didn't go well, huh?" River questioned Blake. "I expected that."

Blake lifted her head and nodded. "Well, they weren't happy that's for sure. But they are going, so that's all that matters. They'll be safer in California, far away from here."

The guys hushed voices grew intense, catching Rylee's attention. Her eyebrows raised in curiosity. "What are you three whispering about?"

Tyler's gaze went to his wife but Paige, River and Blake stared at the men in question. Caleb glanced at Pogue, and Pogue glanced at Blake. Being the leader that has always been, Caleb stepped from the group and looked at his wife.

"We've decided that the kids shouldn't be going to California by themselves," he said, looking from one woman to the next. "You're going with them."

The reply and arguments came quickly, all four girls shouted their thoughts out but Rylee was heard over all.

"Like hell we are!" she yelled in disbelief as she stood from the couch.

"Someone needs to be there in the off chance that Chase gets by us," Pogue reasoned, trying to deflate the anger that had risen in the room.

"All the more reason to stay and fight!" River shouted, then all fell silent. Blake understood where the guys were coming from, she'd been the same way when they had wanted to battle Demon by themselves.

Rylee seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "Remember Demon? All those years ago you told us that you were going to fight along side us. And no matter how much we objected, you still fought," she said as she walked up to stand in front of her husband. "So what I'm saying now is, you can object all you want, Tyler, but we are staying here."

Blake stood up and placed a calming hand on River's shoulder, who eyebrows were pulled together in frustration. "They're right. One of us needs to go with them," she said. When everyone's eyes went to her she continued. "I'll go with them. I'd feel better being with Peyton."

Pogue's face fell in relief, he didn't want to argue anymore, not with her or the others. He grabbed Blake and pulled her toward him, burying his face in her hair. He was done with the fighting and most especially Pogue was done with Chase. Because of Chase he'd almost lost his friends and his life years ago, and now his old enemy was threatening his wife, his daughter, his family. Pogue's skin itched to leave now and end Chase's life, but he couldn't. Not alone.

"You're right," Paige said. "I'm going with the kids, too." To be honest, she had thought of the chance of Chase possibly getting past them and to the kids. If Paige was with them she'd be able to teleport and get them somewhere safe. Where, she didn't know just yet, and hopefully she wouldn't have to worry about it.

After an hour of civil debating, Blake and Paige were to go to California with the kids. Paige had also volunteered Reid to go with them. All felt better and more confident with the extra protection. Though they would rather have none of them fight at all, they knew it was out of the question. Chase had to be dealt with.

By two in the morning everyone was settling into their beds. The house was quiet, the only sound came from the wind blowing through the leafless trees outside. If someone would happen to peak inside the house, they'd see normal families. They'd never have guessed that the families were being threatened.

* * *

Quinn couldn't sleep. He tried everything from taking deep, calming breaths to counting sheep but still sleep wouldn't come. After what seemed like hours of trying, he couldn't lay in bed any longer. After finding his way blindly down the stairs, Quinn made his way to the kitchen and was surprised to see that it wasn't empty.

River sat at the table, her dark hair up in a ponytail and a coffee cup in her hands. She looked up in surprise. "Oh, hello," she said softly and glanced at the clock. "You're up early. Would you like some coffee?"

"Uh, yeah, thanks," he replied, standing awkwardly in the frame of the door. Should he sit or stand? It was strange for him, he was always perceived as the cool guy, always sure of himself. But here he stood, uncertain about every move he made. "I couldn't sleep."

River motioned for him to sit as she poured coffee into a dark blue mug. She handed it to him then took her seat across from him. "I must say you're doing pretty well for someone who just found out about, as you would say, magic. The lack of sleep must be a side-effect."

In what seemed like days, Quinn laughed heartily. He didn't know her well, but as of now he liked River. "I've never been in a situation like this before."

"I wish I could say I know what you mean," River said a smile.

A look of shock crossed Quinn's face. "This has happened before?"

"Sort of," she said, waving a hand in the air. "But that was years and years ago. All in the past now."

The pair were quiet as they sipped their coffee. The glow of the rising sun drifted softly into the room turning the white tiled floor a light shade of pink. River studied Quinn thoughtfully as the minutes passed. "We'll find Chase. Don't worry."

Quinn's stomach clenched painfully as he met the woman's gaze. Should he tell her about the dream? No, he couldn't. If he did, questions would be asked, then they'd find out that he used to work for Chase. They'd find out that this whole mess was his fault, because he had been a greedy, cold, college dropout that needed money.

"Well, I should get ready." River rose from her chair and smiled kindly at Quinn. As she passed him, she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You'll be safe here."

Quinn listened to the sound of her footsteps echoing off the hard floor, his hands balled themselves into fists on the table. He hated lying to them and keeping secrets, they were protecting him and what was he doing for them in return? Nothing but lying. Quinn let out a rush of breath and laid his head on the table, the cold glass felt good against his forehead. The others would find out eventually, and when they did, they would hate him. He wouldn't blame them one bit.

* * *

"How long are we staying there?" Tristan asked his mother hours later. A suitcase sat in front of him, half filled with clothes. He didn't like the fact that he was going to California while his parents fought a psychotic warlock from their past. But his mother reminded him a dozen times, they had experience with situations like these; the magic and the enemies and the drama of them all being mixed.

Rylee stood in front of the closet and pulled clothes from hangers at random. "As long as it takes, Tristan."

Tristan glanced at Cameron, who had finished packing nearly an hour ago; Rylee caught the worried look the two shared. "Don't worry about us. Caleb has fought Chase before, he can do it again. Now let's get moving," she continued as she handed Tristan the clothes she'd grabbed from his closet. "You're leaving in an hour."

Rylee left and went to her room on the other side of the house. When she walked in she saw Tyler laying on the bed, his arm draped over his eyes. She climbed onto the bed without a sound but Tyler must have sensed her presence because he raised him arm a fraction to peek at her.

"You know, it's not nice to sneak up on people," he said as Rylee started to curl next to him. When she had settled down, Tyler pulled her close and kissed the side of her head. "I want you to go with Tristan. Please."

Rylee propped herself up with her elbow. "No," she said calmly. "I told you last night that no matter what you say, I'm staying with you. I'm fighting with you."

Tyler sighed and closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly. "I don't want to almost lose you again."

"What are you talking about? When did you almost-" Rylee's sentence faltered. She knew what he meant. He was thinking about when they had fought Demon and both she and him had nearly lost their lives. Rylee leaned over Tyler now and kissed his lips. "That was not your or anyone else's fault. And besides, Chase is only one man. Demon had at least a dozen henchmen."

Tyler brought a hand to his wife's face, his fingertips brushed gently across her soft skin. Her eyes were full, blue as the ocean, Tyler had thought that from the first moment he'd met her all those years ago. His love for her never faded, not once. In fact, it was stronger than ever. Each beat of his heart was for her, for his beautiful son that Rylee had given him.

"I love you, Mrs. Simms," he said, running his hand through her hair. "Don't you ever forget that."

Rylee grinned and leaned into his touch. "Never, ever."

* * *

It was nearly noon and the sun glowed high in the sky. A pile of luggage sat on the deck just outside of the kitchen. Since the barriers were put around the house for protection nothing or no one magical could get in, but that also meant that no one could get out using magic either.

Paige, Reid and Tyler stood in the open doorway of the back door, gazing out at the yard.

"You'll have to be quick," Tyler said out as he stepped just outside of the door. "The barriers are set up around the deck, so you'll have to go farther into the yard so you can teleport."

Paige nodded and pointed to a tree that sat surrounded by a variety of colorful flowers. "I'll take them there. It's not too far outside the barrier."

Peyton watched the others, most were waiting quietly. From the corner of her eye, she could see Quinn enter the kitchen, each step was unsure as he walked up to her. She acted like she hadn't noticed, but the cross of her arms told Quinn otherwise.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked, his voice low. When Peyton turned to him, his hazel eyes were tender, she found she couldn't say no. So she followed him from the kitchen and into the living room and waited for him to speak. He stood tall and handsome in front of her but she held onto her slight anger she had left.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry that I agreed to sending you away but it's the safest thing for you. You need to be away from here."

Peyton understood where he was coming from, but she was worried and scared for everyone staying behind. Her fear turned her tone hard. "What about you, huh? You don't think Chase will come after you? I mean, it is because of you that I'm back here and safe. He'll want to get back at you."

They stared at each other silently as Peyton's anger fell away. After a while, Quinn wrapped his arms around Peyton and tried to hide the fear he felt. "Don't worry about me." When he pulled back, unshed tears sat on the rim of Peyton's eyes, she looked away to hide them. "Really, I'll be fine. If you want me to, I'll stay locked up in that room until Chase is gone. Not matter how long it takes."

A smile tugged at the corner of Peyton's mouth, but fear was still held in her gaze as she looked up at him. "I'm sure that's what they'll make you do anyways."

Quinn chuckled as he wiped away a tear that had fallen from her eye, then placed his palm on her cheek. "I'll see you sooner or later."

"Hopefully sooner," she said, standing on her tip toes to kiss his lips. She wanted to keep him safe and the safest place for him was in the Simms Manor, protected by five grown-ups with powers and a Watcher. But at the same time, Peyton didn't want to let Quinn out of her sight.

Her name was called only a moment later, interrupting the almost normal moment between the couple. Quinn pulled away reluctantly but kept his hand in hers. Together, they walked into the kitchen to see everyone waiting, the sun shining brightly behind them.

"Peyton, Reid, Tristan and Cameron first," Caleb said, wasting no time.

Peyton let go of Quinn's hand, almost unwillingly and walked to her aunt. The cold air rushed into the room as the four followed Paige onto the deck.

"Okay, we need be quick. Just incase." Paige said, then pointed to the tree in the middle of the yard. "That tree is right outside the barrier."

Paige grabbed Peyton's hand and gripped it tightly. She met her gaze and took a deep breath. "You ready?"

Peyton glanced back at Quinn who stood in the middle of the kitchen, his eyes never leaving the brunette. It was strange, she'd only known Quinn for a few months but she found herself not wanting to leave him. Her heart squeezed as she turned away from him.

"I'm ready," she said, and then she was being pulled into the open. Heart thudded loudly, they crossed the invisible barrier and Peyton suddenly felt vulnerable and exposed. The groups pace picked up, everyone was alert. Tristan's gaze scanned their surroundings as if Chase would pop out of the bushes.

"Grab a hold of me!" Paige yelled in a rush as they neared the tree. She grabbed Reid with her free hand and as soon as Cameron and Tristan placed their hand on Paige the world around them changed and shifted. One second they were standing in the backyard of the Simms' estate, then the next they were in a familiar, warm living room.

"Grandpa?" Peyton called out as she stepped from the group. They had made it, relief flooded through her. "Sienna?"

Craig Thomas stepped into the room, relief clear on his face as he walked to his granddaughter. His wife, Sienna followed closely behind him, her dark green eyes full of concern.

"Thank God," Craig said as he gathered Peyton in his arms and held her tightly.

Paige stood in the middle of the room with her eyes still glowing pink. "I'll be back in a few seconds," she said before disappearing on the spot.

Peyton pulled back and looked around the room. A smile spread across her face when her gaze landed on a plate of chocolate cookies that sat the coffee table. Every time she had visited, her step-grandmother would make her favorite cookies, and this visit was no different.

Even though she was still worried and fearful, a calm wave started to settle over her. _Things are going to be okay, _she told herself positively as she grabbed a cookie and popped it in her mouth. It was still warm from the oven and it practically melted in her mouth.

"The cookies are delicious," she said, handing one to Cameron and Tristan who had taken a seat on the plush couch.

Sienna joined them as Peyton sat down between Cameron and Tristan and waited for the others to arrive.

* * *

Blake, Rome and Rae waited less than a minute before Paige had returned. When she reappeared back in Simms' yard, she didn't even pause before she dashed back across the barrier.

"Any sign?" she asked as she leapt on the deck. Inside the kitchen, Caleb, Tyler, Pogue, Rylee and River stood with their jackets on and hands twitching at their sides in anticipation. Quinn was no where in sight, Paige guessed that he had been sent to his room where he would remain until Chase was dealt with.

"No," Caleb answered, his dark eyed gaze moving across the yard behind her. "Not yet, at least."

"Well, let's not wait for him to come around," she said, motioning to her kids and Blake. "Stay close."

Rome grabbed Rae's hand as Blake took up the rear behind the kids, preparing to make a run for the tree. Paige turned to the others, her gaze moved from Rylee and River to her three childhood friends. "Kick some warlock ass."

Blake stepped from the group quickly and grabbed the back of Pogue's neck, bringing his lips to hers in a short but sweet kiss.

"Be careful," she told him, then looked at the rest. "All of you."

And with that Paige darted out into the yard, glancing only once over her shoulder to see Rome, Rae and Blake right at her heels. A look of complete horror came across Blake's face, her gaze locked on something in front of her. She skidded to a halt, grabbing both Rae and Rome, jerking them to a stop with her. Automatically, Paige spun her head around and felt like she had just got kicked in the stomach.

Chase Collins stood before them, eyes hard and cold. "Going somewhere, are we?"


	17. Chapter 17

Hello my loves! I'm sorry for the wait but I wanted this to be a great chapter and I'm satisfied with it now. Hope you guys are too! =)

Thank you so very much to _Luli Cullen_, _Ladyranger91_, _Angel of the Night Watchers_, _.life., __Le26199_ for their amazing reviews. Thank you again to all of you who favorited, read and even think to review! You all make me smile!

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Chapter 17

Face to Face

Caleb's stomach clenched uncomfortably at the sight of Chase Collins standing a dozen yards from him. He thought he'd gotten rid of his old enemy nearly 25 years ago, but here he was, his blue gaze now intent on the Caleb, Pogue and Tyler.

Huddled in a group not far from Chase were Rae and Rome who were frozen with fear. Blake had moved lightning fast to stand protectively in front of them, shoulders square and set. Yards from them and feet from Chase was Paige, wide-eyed but alert.

"How long has it been? Twenty-four, twenty-five years? You guys look good." Chase said, folding his arms across his chest as he strolled forward, paying no mind to Paige as he passed her. "Ah, hell, who am I kidding? You look old."

"And you haven't aged a bit," Caleb replied truthfully, his dark eyes glaring. It had been so long but Chase looked as if time had not laid it's hand upon him since the night at Putnam Barn.

Chase's grin was malicious, his head tilted to one side. "Well, that's what happens when you spend time between life and death."

Caleb stood silently and tried not to show his relief as Paige took a quick step toward Blake and the kids, her once blue eyes glowing neon pink. Instantly, he told himself that as soon as she got them out of there, he, Tyler, Pogue, Rylee and River were going to get rid of Chase once and for all.

But Paige didn't make it. She was only a yard from them when she suddenly cried out in surprise as she was lifted into the air. Her feet dangled high above the ground.

Chase's eyes were as dark as the night sky, his gaze still on Caleb. "It was a strange place to be," he continued the conversation as if Paige hadn't interrupted him. "Not alive but not dead either. So much time had passed, it felt like centuries of waiting…it was enough to drive a man crazy. Then one day I woke up…like it had all been just a dream. And now, here I am."

Caleb's gaze went to Paige. The air around her shimmered with Power and didn't seem to harm her, but that didn't mean that it didn't have the ability to do so. He glanced back at Pogue whose own gaze was on his wife and the kids. Caleb knew it was taking all of his will power not run to them at that moment.

"Chase, you don't want them." Tyler motioned to Paige, Rae, Rome and Blake as he stepped forward little by little to stand next to Caleb. Behind him, Rylee shifted anxiously. "Just let them go."

Chase looked at Tyler. "I can't do that, Simms. You took 25 years of life from me. It's my turn to take something from you."

A circle of fire danced across his eyes. A choked scream sounded above them, Paige's hands flew to her throat as an invisible force tightened around her neck. Her legs kicked uselessly, her eyes flashed pink as she tried to teleport but her power flickered in and out.

"Mom!" Rome yelled from where he stood frozen with fear. On the deck, the others rushed forward in Paige's defense but found themselves being stopped by an unseen wall. Rylee and Caleb were the first to hit it and the two flew backwards, landing with a thud on the wooden deck.

"Paige!" Rylee cried out helplessly as she rolled to her knees, unharmed.

Rae's gaze went to Chase who had turned to watch Paige struggle for her life. Fear made her heart thud like a drum against her chest, but adrenaline raced through her body, making her veins itch with Power. A small orb of energy grew in her palms and before she could hesitate, she threw it. The orb hit Chase right on the shoulder, breaking his focus and the forces he had up.

As he staggered back in surprise, Paige fell to the ground, landing ungracefully on her feet a dozen yards away. She only had enough time to take one breath before Chase had gathered his footing, his heated glare found Rae quickly.

"Not a smart move, little girl." His eyes bled black, power rippled through the air around him. A ball of energy formed fast and he threw it, aiming right at Rae.

Suddenly, something large and solid hit Rae and her breath rushed from her lungs. She gasped for air as she fell to the ground and out of harms way. A large wolf hovered over her protectively. The sound of its growling vibrated her chest as River barred her teeth at Chase.

"Impressive," Chase said as he took in the large wolf. Fire sprang across his eyes for the second time, ready for a fight.

Blake pushed Rome forcefully, causing him to fall to the ground next to Rae. "Rome, get yourself and your sister out of here! Now!"

Rome didn't hesitate before his muscles coiled and the power he inherited from his mother turned the color of his iris's to a light shade of red. He threw his arm over his sister's waist and thought of California, of Blake, Tristan, Cameron and his father. Where he could get his sister and himself to safety.

* * *

"It's taking too long," Reid said as he paced the length of the kitchen. Nearly ten minutes had passed since Paige had left, and according to him, that was ten minutes too long. "Something's wrong."

"Reid," Sienna warned at the blonde's raising voice. Her gaze swept over Cameron, Blake and Tristan who were sitting on the couch in the next room with Craig. "You don't want to scare the kids."

Reid ignored the woman's warning. "They should've been back by now. It's been-"

The sound of a loud crash cut him off mid sentence and a small scream made his hair's stand on end.

"Daddy!" The sound of his daughter's voice sent both fear and relief through him; fear because the word was pained with dread, and relief because they had made it there safe. Reid rushed into the room to see Rae in the comforting embrace of Tristan. Cameron and Peyton stared with troubled expressions, their gaze on Craig who was kneeling next to an unmoving form.

Reid's heart leapt into his throat at the sight of his son's pale face and closed eyelids. He fell to his knees, wincing at the sharp pain as he hit the wood floor and gathered Rome in his arms. The soft _thump-thump _of a beating heart assured Reid that his son was not dead, just unconscious.

"He'll be okay," Reid spoke to the others, relief clear in his words. He paused as he thought. "He's never teleported more than one person before, and it was a long way to go. He must've passed out."

He motioned for Tristan and Craig for help, then all three carried Rome to the couch and laid him down gently. After checking for a second time that his son was okay, Reid went to his daughter and pulled her to him.

"What happened?" he asked, trying to keep the panic from his voice. "Where's your mother?"

Rae fell against her dad and hugged him hard. "It's Chase, he showed up. A fight broke out and Rome got us out of there."

Reid's face tightened in anger and worry, and at that moment he wished he were there with the others, fighting by their side. But he had no way to get there. His gaze met Craig's whose own face held fear and worry.

"It's started?" he asked.

"Yeah," Reid nodded slowly. "It's started."

* * *

With the fight being seven against one, they had managed to get Chase to fall back into the thick woods behind the house. Though it was a great advantage, knowing the woods like the back of their own hands, they were at the same time, at a disadvantage. The trees were bunched closely together and the lack of room limited the use of their Powers.

"Give it up, Chase!" yelled Pogue as he threw several energy balls at a large tree trunk that Chase had dived behind. "You're outnumbered."

With his back pressed to the rough bark of the tree, Chase let out a loud laugh. "Doesn't seem fair, does it?" As the words left his mouth, he jumped out from behind the tree and launched three energy balls. The first one flew out into the woods, the second made contact.

Tyler let out a cry of surprise and pain as he fell to the side, the little blonde one who was nearest to him jumped out of the way as the third raced past her. She took in a quick breath as it hit her and fell nearly on top the youngest Son.

If Chase would have blinked, he wouldn't have seen it. As Paige fell to the ground her eyes changed and glowed pink. Within a second, both her and Tyler Simms were gone. Chase grinned to himself, there were only five left now. Now he would make them drop like flies. He leapt to the side just in time as a ball of electricity raced passed him, shattering a tree in half on impact. Chase turned to see Rylee glaring daggers at him.

"That was my husband, you son of a bitch!" She lunged at him but a quick flick of the wrist and she was on the ground, as if she were being held down by an unseen force. Then something large and thick collided with him, knocking him off balance and sending him right to the ground. He rolled quickly onto his back, fire flashed across his eyes as the beast lunged at his neck.

Caleb stopped in his tracks, his gaze fell onto his wife in her wolf form who now struggling under Chase's power. It was like a giant hand had wrapped itself around her and was holding her tight enough that with each move that was made would cause pain. Each whimper from her was like a knife stabbing his own heart.

* * *

Peyton was tired of waiting. The minutes seemed to tick by like hours, and she wasn't the only one who felt that way. Reid had started pacing again, his hands clenching and unclenching with each step he took. All were silent, but the quiet was filled with a tension that even the sharpest knife would have trouble cutting through.

Suddenly, Cameron's head snapped up as if he heard something that the others hadn't. Not a second later, Paige appeared with Tyler hanging from her shoulder. Sienna gasped and dashed from the room, Craig rushed to the pair and took Tyler gently from Paige. As Tyler leaned against Craig for support, his ripped shirt slid to the side, revealing a deep, bloody gash on his ribcage.

"Dad!" Tristan jumped up quickly from the plush chair and ran to his father's side. Tyler nodded stiffly and grimaced in pain as both Tristan and Craig lowered him to sit. He leaned his head back and took slow, shallow breaths. Sienna returned moments later with a bottle of water, an armful of towels and a First Aid kit.

"What happened?" Reid asked when he was at Paige's side. "Are you okay?"

Tyler let out a short laugh, trying his hardest to ignore the burst of pain as Sienna dapped gently at his wound. "Oh, I'm fine. Thanks for asking…"

Paige's pale face stayed serious as she turned to her husband and pulled him from the room. She gripped Reid's hands in hers and looked him in the eyes. "He's stronger than we realized, Reid. His Power…it's dark, like it's been tainted or something." Her voice was low, just above a whisper. Her gaze swept over the kids before returning to Reid. "He's so strong. There's seven of us and it's like we are evenly numbered. I don't think…" Her sentence faded as she became lightheaded. She blinked and took a deep breath, trying to find her words again.

"Whoa," Reid said, putting a hand on his wife's shoulder to steady her. "You okay?"

Just as he asked, Paige's knees buckled from under her. Reid caught her and lowered her gently to the ground. Alarmed, he wrapped an arm around her and touched something warm and sticky. He held in a gasp as he pulled his hand away to see a red liquid on his fingertips.

Quickly but carefully, Reid pulled off her jacket and lifted up the back of her shirt. On the right side of her lower back was a deep gash, looking almost identical to the one that Tyler had. "Shit, Paige, you got hit."

"Oops," Rae said, trying to smile though it came off as more of a grimace. "Guess it was more than a graze."

Reid called out for help, but after he did he wished he wouldn't have sounded so panicked. And he also wished it wasn't his daughter who had come running into the room first. Rae gasped, her hand flew to her mouth as tears immediately sprung to her eyes.

Behind her, Peyton's eyebrows furrowed as anger flushed through her body.

* * *

The sound of the cries from the one who Caleb loved sent pure ecstasy through Chase's body, seeming to make his own power pulse with pleasure. "So shall it be a quick and painless or slow and agonizing?"

"Why are you doing this?" Caleb asked through clenched teeth. Tears pooled at the rim of his eyes.

Chase gave sadistic grin. "I like to play games, you and Parry should know that. Or don't you remember that night at Putnam Barn?" His gaze wandered to River. "Though I must say, I took you for more of a blonde guy, Caleb."

River growled deeply in anger, causing Chase to laugh in satisfaction. "You know," he started, sighing dramatically. "I don't have to kill her. All you have to do is…"

"Will you my Power," Caleb finished, strongly dismayed. His gaze went to his wife, who even though was in her wolf form, the message in her eyes was clear: _Don't even think about it._

"Well, I mean, not yours particularly." Chase's gaze went to Pogue before returning to Caleb. "One of you will do. How about Reid? He was always a pain in the-"

He was cut off when something hit him from behind causing him to fall forward into the snowy mud of the woods. He growled in frustration at being caught of guard from the third time that night.

"Peyton, get out of here!" someone cried.

A bubble of satisfaction formed in Chase's chest as he found his footing and saw the very girl that had escaped him standing in the mist of the others.

"Oh, the First Daughter of the Covenant!" Chase shouted in mock excitement. Inside, Chase's insides burned with a realization that he no longer cared about the Powers of the Sons, he wanted Peyton's. She was the first born female in the history of the families, the most powerful there has ever been.

_Besides me_, Chase told himself. _No one is as powerful as me! _With his eyes still as black as the deepest shadows of the night, he called upon his Power to entrap them all and end their lives.

Peyton's eyes widened, somehow knowing what he was planning. "No!" she heard herself yell as her own eyes bled black and her veins flushed with Power. She flung her arms outward, throwing her power as far as she could. Pogue, Caleb, River, Blake and Rylee were gathered in a cloud of mist, the lines of their bodies shimmered briefly before disappearing.

Chase's eyes widened in disbelief; Peyton staggered slightly, a small smile of relief crossed her face. She had done it. She didn't know how she was capable of it but she had gotten her family to safety. When she met Chase's gaze, she saw pure fury in his eyes.

"Well aren't you just a powerful little witch," he spat out, each word biting sharply as the cold wind that whipped around them.

She shocked herself by giving him a smirk that could have matched that of her Uncle Reid's. And when she spoke, her voice was confident. "Yes, I am. Jealous?"

* * *

Quinn couldn't sit still any longer. He tried pacing to keep mind off things, he even tried reading, but nothing he did could stop him from thinking about Peyton and the others. He felt useless, unimportant, as strange as it sounded, Quinn felt left out.

He closed his eyelids over his hazel eyes and he sucked in a deep breath of air as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Sleep," he told himself, thinking that if he slept, maybe when he woke up, Peyton would be back. But as he forced himself to lay down on the bed, a loud crash had him jumping back up to his feet. Heart pounding, he strained his ears for several moments for any further sound.

Several voices floated up to him from the floor below, familiar but laced with worried panic. Faster than he thought he could move, Quinn was out of the room and down the stairs, following the voices as he went. Blake, Rylee, Caleb, River and Pogue stood in kitchen, all eyes turned to him as he skidding to a halt. He took in the tears in Rylee's eyes, the hard line of Caleb's eyebrows and Pogue's jaw that was clenched tightly as he held his wife.

"What's going on?" Quinn asked.

Without speaking, Rylee walked to the back door, her hand reached out toward the handle. But instead of it opening, her hand bounced back at her as it she'd hit an invisible rubber wall.

"Peyton," she explained as if that told him everything he needed to know.

Quinn raised his eyebrow's in confusion. "Peyton did this? How? Where is she?"

A pained expression crossed everyone's faces, but Rylee was the first to speak. "Yes," she said, answering his first question. "As of how she did it, I don't know but we have to remember that she's the most powerful member there has every been in all of the families."

He already knew that, he knew Peyton was the most powerful. What he wanted to know was where she was at. "Where is she?" he repeated.

River, who Quinn had now noticed was only dressed in a long jacket that fell at just the right length, spoke up for the first time. "Peyton's fighting Chase."

Quinn's throat tightened painfully, his stomach flipped as he pictured Peyton's body, so small and fragile to him, laying at the feet of Chase Collins. The maniac laugh of Chase echoed in his mind. Quinn shook his head and rubbed his eyes to rid himself of the images.

After several minutes of silence, Quinn spoke, a lot calmer than he felt. "So, what do we do now?"

From the inconsolable embrace of her husband, Blake took a shaky breath. "Now, we wait."


	18. Chapter 18

Thank you to _Angel of the Night Watchers_, _Luli Cullen_, _RangaJess_ for your reviews. Sorry it took so long to update everyone...things have been awful. Anyways, here's the next chapter I hope you like it.

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Chapter 18

Fifth Son Vs. First Daughter

The struggle between the two was more evenly matched than either of them would have ever expected. With every attack from Chase, Peyton would counter it. A livid frustration was set on Chase's face, twisting and distorting his features as he fought to get his revenge. Blood, sweat and mud covered Peyton nearly from head to toe.

Peyton hit the ground heavily, breath whooshed from her lungs forming a shapeless cloud in the cold air. From the corner of her eye, she saw a pool of red on her long sleeved shirt where she had been hit. But she didn't have time to worry because Chase was ready to make his next move. She scrambled to her feet and faced him straight on, her eyebrows pulled together angrily.

"Aren't you done trying to save your family yet?" Chase asked exasperated. A sphere of power bounced from one hand to the other as if he were juggling. "Frankly, this is getting boring."

Her breathing was heavy, and every moment that passed seemed to go on forever. Her body ached, her muscles screamed at her to stop. If it weren't for her speeding heart pumping adrenaline into her veins, she know she would have passed out from exhaustion. But she couldn't stop now. She'd be dead if she gave up now.

"I thought you liked games?" Peyton spat, jaw tight. "Or are you afraid that you'll finally lose?"

"I never lose!" He rushed at her then, throwing orbs of energy with every step he took. Each one flew at Peyton, aiming to kill. She dove to the side in barely enough time and watched them disappear into the deep woods.

Chase lunged at her again, Power in his fists. As Peyton leapt backward to avoid him, her foot caught on an upraised tree root, knocking her off balance. A sharp pain burst across her left shoulder as she hit the frozen ground.

Before she could right herself, Chase's foot fell onto her hurt shoulder and pressed down hard. Peyton cried out as he leaned over her, face alight with victory and eyes full of finality.

"You put up a good fight, kid. But obviously you're just not good enough," he said, chest rising and falling with crazed excitement.

Her vision flickered, little black dots floated before her eyes as the pain took over her body.

A sadistic smile twisted his lips as he leaned even closer, his eyes black bottomless pits as he stared down at her. "I'll tell your family you said goodbye….before I kill them."

Peyton's jaw tightened. The pain that hindered her melted into rage at the thought of Chase near her family. She grabbed his foot in between her hands and twisted with all her strength. There was a loud crack and he shouted in pain as he tumbled over, clutching his now broken ankle.

Ignoring the throbbing in her shoulder, Peyton pushed herself off the ground. The anger, fear and hatred she felt toward Chase rushed through her, causing her heartbeat to thud in her eardrums. She had been so terrified of Chase for what he had done to her. The kidnapping and the drugging and even what he did to Quinn had scared her. He had been a threat in the past to her dad and uncles, and now his revenge was directed at her entire family, the ones she loved with everything she had.

She drew herself to stand taller, hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. A ring of fire flashed over her eyes as she willed her Power to hold Chase, thwarting his ability to Use. Chase's eyes widened, then narrowed in pure fury as he struggled against the force that held him to the ground.

Peyton closed her eyes and inhaled the cold air of the fading day. She thought of her family, their faces floated in her mind's eye giving her the courage and support she knew they were capable of.

"No!" Chase shouted, his voice echoing around the empty woods. His face was filthy, covered in dirt mingled with sweat and blood.

Her skin tingled and the energy formed in her palms, mixing with the power she had inherited from her mother. The small fire danced within the Power, causing it to glow a dark shade of orange. Around her, the wind picked up, flipping her dark hair around her as if a storm had just started. The ground shook slightly under her feet, as if the earth was giving her the energy and strength she needed.

Chase's voice floated to her over the roaring of the wind. "I never lose! You cannot defeat me!"

Peyton's eyes snapped open and narrowed; Deep purple and black swirls danced behind her eyelids with every blink.

"Wanna bet?" She hurled the ball of energy, the feeling of pure power rushed from her veins. The trees bowed and bent as she threw all she had. All the hate, anger, fear left her as the energy did. Chase's gaze met hers.

A flicker of fear flashed across his face, knowing that death was coming to him. The Power melted into his body. He didn't cry out or even take his eyes away from Peyton as she watched his life be taken from him by her hands.

* * *

"I don't know how she did it, Rylee," Tyler said, speaking into the receiver of the phone. He ran a hand down his face as he leaned against the back of the couch, grimacing in pain at the sharp pain in his side. He took a slow, shallow breath before speaking again. "She was standing here then all of a sudden she was gone…like she had teleported or something. I've never seen that happen before."

On the other end of the line, thousands of miles across the country in Ipswich, Massachusetts, Rylee sighed. "She's one powerful witch, that's for sure. Caleb and Pogue have both tried to break down the barrier but it was no use." She paused. "How're the kids?"

Tyler bit the inside of his cheek as he glanced into the kitchen where Craig sat with Rae, Rome, Cameron and Tristan, trying to keep their minds off everything. A weak smiled crossed Craig's face as he looked at Tyler, feeling his stare. He had to give props to the older man, he was putting up a brave front for the kids.

"They're…managing," Tyler replied.

"They aren't used to this kind of thing," Rylee said, then laughed humorlessly at her own words. "None of us should be used to this." She cleared her throat. "Anyways, what about you and Paige? How are you?"

Tyler lifted his gaze to the ceiling, somewhere upstairs a bandaged and resting Paige lay. "For the hundtreth time, we'll both be fine." He smiled at Sienna as she came down the stairs, a basket full of bloody towels in hand. "You'd think Sienna grew up around our kind of family, she's a natural with tending to unnatural wounds."

Sienna returned the smile and continued down the hall. The sound of a squeaking door reached his ears and he knew Blake's step-mom had tossed the towels in the washer. "We're being well taken care of here." Tyler reassured his worried wife. "I'd ask how Blake and Pogue are but I can hardly imagine how they're feeling right now."

A few moments of silence passed between the two but Tyler knew Rylee was still there. When she did speak, tears filled her voice making her words sound clogged. Tyler would have given anything to be there at the moment to comfort her. "If something bad happens to Peyton, I don't think they'd be able to handle it, Tyler. Blake's on the verge of-"

"Rylee," Tyler interrupted. "Peyton was able to teleport to Ipswich from California. That's all the way across the country!" When she didn't reply, Tyler continued. "And she put a barrier around the house so strong that neither Caleb or Pogue could get through. That's saying something."

"Thanks Mr. Optimistic." Rylee replied. He could hear the small smile in her voice. "We'll let you know as soon as possible if anything happens. Tell the Tristan and the kids that I love them."

"Okay," Tyler closed his eyes and pictured his wife's beautiful face. "I love you, Rylee."

* * *

"I love you too."

Rylee hit the end button on the phone but didn't move from where she sat. She couldn't bare to see Blake's staring out of the barricaded back door, hugging herself tightly as she fought to not break down. The sorrow and pain on Pogue's face nearly brought tears to Rylee's eyes just thinking about it.

Her own gaze went around the living room, where dozens photographed smiling faces looked back at her. She wished that things were back to normal, that her kids had been given a normal life, a normal life that she had never gotten. Their world was upside down and there was nothing she could do to fix it. Not now that they were barricaded inside the house, forced into waiting.

The sound of falling footsteps echoing of tiled floor broke her reverie, and when she looked for the source, Quinn came hurtling into the room.

"Quinn, what is it?" she asked, alert.

Quinn opened his mouth to reply but a loud crash had Rylee jumping to her feet. She threw open the kitchen door and gasped at the sight. "What the hell just happened?"

It looked like a tornado had torn through the room, leaving havoc behind. The windows were busted, thousand pieces of shattered glass covered the floor and counters. The back door hung from its hinges only feet from where Pogue was helping Blake to her feet.

"There was a flash of light then…" Caleb gestured around the room, but Rylee wasn't paying attention to him anymore. Her attention was on Blake who had stepped away from the group, eyes gazing out into the distance.

"Peyton," Blake breathed. Her voice was low and urgent as she took a slow step forward and reached out her hand. She took a quick intake of breath. "The barrier's down!"

Before anyone could react, Blake hurled herself out the door.

* * *

Suddenly, Peyton's legs couldn't hold her up any longer. She collapsed to the ground, realizing that her whole body shook from the burst of energy. Her gaze fell quickly to her enemy's lifeless body with his eyes open and empty.

He was gone. Chase was dead. He couldn't hurt her anymore, he couldn't threaten her family. She waited for the fear or guilt, but only relief and a strange calm settled deep within her chest.

She shivered in the cold, but didn't move. Her limbs felt as heavy as lead and with each movement she made, a sharp pain stabbed at her shoulder. She lay down on the hard ground and closed her eyes. The sunlight floated through the naked tree branches.

With her eyelids closed, Peyton could almost picture herself warm in her bed. But still she couldn't make herself move. She could feel Rae trying to reach her through the connection they shared, calling her name over and over in panic. But again, she couldn't find herself to answer back. Exhaustion ruled her body and mind, numbing her to the core.

The silence around her was suddenly broken by shrill calls. As the voices grew louder and louder, so did the sound of falling footsteps. Then suddenly they stopped.

"Peyton?" The tear filled voice tugged at Peyton's heart, causing the numbness to fade quickly. Peyton opened her eyes and blinked in the pale sunlight. Her mother's face, red eyed and tear streaked, came into focus.

"Mom, I did it." she spoke softly, almost hoarsely.

Blake gathered her daughter in her arms, and squeezed her tight. Peyton hissed at the pain but Blake didn't loosen her grip. "She's hurt," she said to Pogue who had fallen to the ground next to her. "She's freezing, too."

"And she's bleeding," he added, tenderly touching his daughter's forearm. "We need to get her inside and looked at."

Pogue scooped Peyton up and kissed her head gently as she curled in his warm embrace, not knowing until that moment just how cold she really was. Now that the numbness had faded, feeling had found its way back to her. She was weak with exhaustion and the cold bit at her skin, spreading goose bumps over her entire body. But still the terror or guilt she should have felt for murdering Chase never came.

As she pictured Chase's lifeless body, the only feeling she got was relief.

Fast footsteps echoed through the woods and Caleb emerged from within the leafless trees, breathing heavy. His gaze found Peyton immediately and his face showed completely and utter relief. "You're safe. Then Chase…"

Peyton couldn't find the strength to speak so instead she rolled her head to the side. Caleb followed her gaze and his heart stopped briefly at the sight. Chase Collins lay yards from where he stood, eyes lifeless. A cold satisfaction settled in his chest at the sight of his enemy dead.


	19. Chapter 19

Hi guys! Sorry this is so late! Trust me I've been beating myself up about how long it's taken since the last update. =/ but here it is now! Enjoy!

Thanks to **Angel of the Night Watchers**, **Luli Cullen**, and **RangaJess** for your reviews! I appericate you taking the time to comment =)

* * *

Chapter 19

Back to Normal

Hours had passed after the defeat of Chase Collins, and within those few hours the world seemed to set itself right again. Peyton was fast asleep, safe and warm in the comfort of her own bedroom.

While the Daughter of Ipswich slumbered, Reid, Tyler, Paige and the kids were on their way home from California. Because of Paige's injury and Rome's lack of energy to teleport five people, they had to resort to flying.

Rylee had tried for the past hour to busy herself, she even checked up on Quinn who had once again secluded himself to the room that Pogue insisted he stay in for the night.

Now, Rylee waited impatiently by the front door of the Parry's foyer. Footsteps sounded behind her and she turned around to see Pogue approaching. She smiled when she saw two steaming cups in his hands.

"Thanks," she said, taking the cup gratefully. "Are Kevin and Lucy still here?"

Pogue shook his head. "They left just a little bit ago. Caleb told me Lucy said she wasn't really surprised that Peyton took Chase all by herself, though Kevin seemed pretty shocked by the news."

"That's probably because, unlike with us, there wasn't a prophecy to tell him what was going to happen this time." Rylee pointed out with humor before saying. "I thought you'd be passed out with the wife and daughter by now. Your daughter's safe and sound, I think some sleep will do you some good."

Pogue grinned. "You're the one to talk. You've got circles under your eyes darker than your shirt."

Rylee glanced down at her black sweater and then at the oval mirror that hung on the wall. She nodded her head, staring at her reflection that indeed showed dark circles that nearly matched her shirt. "Touché, my friend. But I can't sleep until my husband and son are home with me."

Nodding his understanding, Pogue leaned against the wall and sipped his own tea. All the pain, worry and stress had vanished from his handsome face and was replaced by relief, happiness and content. Rylee knew how he felt and she was sure everyone felt the same way as them. The heavy, dark cloud that had hung over the four families had gone. All that was left were blue skies and sunshine. Figuratively speaking, that is.

"I can't believe it's actually over," Pogue said after a few moments pause.

"Maybe we can finally live normal lives," she said, letting the sweet liquid of the tea warm her throat.

A bark of laughter escaped Pogue, the sound echoed in the large foyer. "We can only hope for that, Ryl's. But with a family like ours I'm not going to hold my breath." He ruffled Rylee's hair just like he used to when they were younger. "You know what, sleep is starting to sound great right now. When did Tyler say they were going to be home?"

Rylee shrugged her shoulders and glanced out the window. "Soon, I think. But go to bed. It's been a long day. I'm sure they'd understand."

Pogue said goodnight then took the stairs two at a time to the second floor. Rylee watched him go then turned her gaze back to the window. The sight of a car's headlights beaming down the driveway had her pushing off the wall and dashing outside. The night air was frigid and the cold concrete bit at her bare feet as she pounded down the steps.

The car had barely come to a stop before Tyler leapt from the car and embraced his wife.

"Tyler!" she warned as a look of pain crossed his face and his hand flew to his side. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed his lips, causing his expression to change instantly.

When she pulled away, Tyler was grinning. "I missed you."

Rylee kissed him again then smiled around at all the others as they piled out of the car. She hurried to her son and hugged him tightly. Tristan kissed his mother's head lovingly as Rylee's gaze met Paige's.

"You okay?" she asked.

Paige smirked and pulled her cream coat closer to her body. "Never better."

"Come on, everyone inside, it's freezing." Rylee herded Tyler, Paige, Reid and the kids inside the heat filled house.

* * *

Peyton rolled over in her bed and sighed heavily, unable to sleep for more than a few minutes at a time. Though she still felt numb about the recent events, every time she closed her eyes, Chase's face appeared. And every time he would, Peyton was pulled from sleep with deep annoyance.

After an hour of constant waking, Peyton considered sneaking to the room Quinn stayed in because she knew he wouldn't be sleeping. But as her feet hit the carpeted floor she hesitated. She had already been asked thousands of questions about her fight with Chase, would Quinn ask more? Would he want to know the details just as her mom and the others wanted to? Being new to the magic scene, would Quinn ask for more detail?

With another heavy sigh, Peyton threw herself back onto her pillow and dug her palms into her eyes. Once again, Chase's lifeless face appeared causing her to shout out in aggravation.

"Ugh, get out of my head!" she yelled, louder than she should have. So she waited for the sound of footsteps or the worried call of her mother, but no sound came.

She lay like that for a few more minutes, pondering what she could do to help lull herself to sleep. _Count sheep? _

Peyton closed her eyes for the hundredth time and visualized cute, little white sheep leaping over a wooden fence, one right after the other. By the sixth sheep, she felt herself being pulled into unconsciousness, but as the counting continued, the sheep started to change so that they were no longer fluffy white creatures. Their wool turned black as the night with the eyes just as dark. Peyton jerked to a sit, her heart thudding hard in her chest.

"Stop it," she told herself, running a hand roughly through her hair. "Close your eyes and sleep."

So once again, Peyton forced herself to lay down, and with the covers clutched tightly in her hands, she closed her eyes.

* * *

In the early hours of the morning, Rae carefully stepped around her father's sleeping form on the floor of the Parry's guest room. She paused at the door to make sure that her mother still slept soundlessly before opening and closing it gently behind her.

She let out a satisfied breath when she stood in front of Peyton's door. She stepped into the room, her steps quiet and careful as she tiptoed toward the bed, cautious not to startle the sleeping girl.

Just as she opened her mouth to whisper her name, Peyton's eyes sprang open and her gaze locked on Rae. "You know, you're not as quiet as you think you are," she said with a smile, sitting up in her bed.

Rae grinned and rushed to her friend, embracing her in a tight grip. Peyton sucked in a breath and pulled away.

"Oh, your shoulder! I'm sorry!" Rae whispered in a rush. "I was so worried! One moment you were there then suddenly you were gone! You freaked everyone out, Peyton! I was so mad at you but then I was so scared when we found out you fought him all by yourself. What if…what if something happened to you?"

Peyton shifted in her bed so that her legs were under her, and took a deep breath. Her gaze was intent on Rae, as if she had done it many times that night after being asked the same question. "Nothing did happen to me, Rae," she said. "At least nothing life-threatening. What happened in those woods is in the past, and to be honest I don't feel the need to talk about it ever again. All that matters is Chase is gone, why does it matter who ended it?"

Blinking in surprise, Rae sat back and squinted in the dark at her friend. She couldn't really see the exact expression on Peyton's face but her tone said everything. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you mad. I was just-"

"No," Peyton interrupted, sighing as she dropped her face into her hands. "No, I'm sorry. I just-uh, it's been a long day. I didn't mean to worry anyone, but when Chase attacked your mom and Uncle Tyler something in me snapped. It's hard to explain but I couldn't have let him get away again."

Rae nodded in understanding, though she didn't know how Peyton was keeping it so together. She hadnever battled a day in her life and only hours ago she single-handedly. fought the greatest enemy the Covenant has ever had. Rae couldn't help but think that if she had been in Peyton's place, she wouldn't have succeeded.

"Are you okay?" she asked cautiously after a few moments of silence.

Meeting her gaze, Peyton spoke. "As strange as it sounds, I am okay. It's like all of it was a dream or it happened to someone else. I know that seems impossible because I _killed_ a man, I took Chase's life. I fought him, I made him bleed and he died! And you know what? I don't feel one bit guilty." When she was finished she took a breath and let it out in a rush. There was a pause where the girls met gazes, then the next moment they burst into a fit of laughter. They fell down onto the mattress, giggling quietly as if they were small children up way past their curfew, trying not to get caught.

Rae wiped a tear that had escaped from her eye as their laughter died. "So much for not wanting to talk about it," she said, causing the laughter to start once again.

* * *

Peyton woke up the next morning to find herself alone in her bed. She laid there for another few moments with the feeling of contentment in her chest. It was all actually over. No more fear, no more anxiety.

With that positive thought, she jumped from her bed, glad to not feel pain in her body as she had the night before. She mentally thanked her power of fast healing as she went to her closet and took out the first sweatshirt her hand touched.

Pulling the purple fleece sweater over her head, she made her way out of her room. A door down the hall to her left opened up and Quinn appeared. When he saw her approaching, a smile lit his handsome face and his eyes sparkled.

"Hey," he said, once she was standing toe to toe with him.

"Good morning," Peyton kissed his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. It was then that she noticed a duffel bag hanging from shoulder. She looked into his hazel eyes. "Are you leaving?"

Quinn nodded as he pushed her dark hair behind her ear. "Well yeah, there's really no reason for me to stay. I don't need to be protected anymore. I think it's time for me to go home."

"I don't want you to go," Peyton replied, heart sinking at his words. He was leaving, she should have guessed that after Chase was gone he would move back to Boston. _I knew I was too much for him_, she thought. "Don't go."

"I wish I could stay," he said, taking her face between his hands; Peyton felt her heart start to break a little more. Here it comes, the goodbye. "But if I want to keep my apartment here in Ipswich I need to start looking for a new job."

"What?" she found herself saying in confusion.

Quinn chuckled and kissed her nose gently. "Well, if you remember correctly, my previous employer was a little on the crazy side."

Peyton stared at him, relief flooding through her. Quinn must have thought he had offended her because he quickly spoke again. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," he said, practically hitting himself on the forehead as he rubbed a hand down his face. "That was stupid of me."

"No, it's okay," Peyton said, composing herself. She took a deep breath and smiled widely.

Quinn grinned back, took Peyton's waist and pulled her close. The warmth of his lips on hers sent a pleasant tingle to her stomach at his touch. Her breath caught as his fingertips traced a path down her back only to stop at the rim of her pajama pants.

At that moment someone cleared their throat. Peyton froze with her hand tangled in Quinn's hair. She pulled away slowly and met his gaze, he looked just panicked as she felt. Together, they turned to the source of the noise.

Paige was standing at the top of the staircase trying to hide the amused smile on her face.

"Breakfast is ready." Those were the only words that came out of her mouth before turning around and walking back down the stairs.

When they thought she was out of earshot, Quinn chuckled. "I think that's my cue to leave."

"You can stay for breakfast," she said, reaching to tug the bag from his shoulder.

"I'd love to, but I think it should be just you and your parents." His hand stopped Peyton's and brought hers to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "I'll call you later."

She watched him take a few steps then turned around with his eyebrows pulled slightly together. "What?"

"I don't have my bike."

Peyton's mouth formed an "O" formation as she remembered why it was missing; Chase had hidden it. "I forgot all about that," she said with a frown. "We'll find it. But for now…" She motioned for Quinn to follow her and so he did, down the stairs and into the kitchen where the smell of biscuits and gravy made both of their mouths water.

"Smells great." She gave her mom a smile of appreciation before addressing Paige. "Do you mind taking Quinn back to his apartment? He doesn't have his bike, and I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be a good idea to drive the one we stole."

"No, problem. I don't start teaching until eleven anyways." Paige stood up from the chair and reached her hand out to Quinn. "And by the way, the stolen car has been returned to its rightful owner."

Quinn glanced at Peyton who nodded her approval. His gaze went to Blake, who had detached herself from her husband and walked toward him. "Thank you for bringing our daughter back."

Pogue appeared next to her with an outstretched hand and a smile on his face. Quinn took his hand. "Don't be a stranger, Quinn."

"I won't," he replied, sending Peyton a heart melting smile.

Once Paige had teleported Quinn back to his apartment, the three sat down for a delicious breakfast of biscuits with gravy, eggs and bacon.

"Well, back to school on Monday," Pogue pointed out as they cleaned up the dishes from the table an hour later. "We've told the Provost and your teachers that you've been out with the flu."

"Oh right, the flu. Got it." Peyton said. That's where Rae disappeared to, she thought, it was Friday, a school day. "Why didn't I start back today?"

Blake gave her daughter a sideways look. "Would you really have wanted to go back to school after the past few days? I thought you'd like to have a few more days to recuperate. And to catch up on your homework."

At the thought of all the work that had accumulated over the past two weeks, Peyton groaned. So with the push of her parents, she returned to her room to start on the pile of homework Paige had managed to get for her during her long absence. As she sat down on her bed with books and papers next to her, a small beep sounded from her phone.

When she picked it up from the nightstand table, five text messages waited for her to read. One from Rae, Rome, Tristan, and Cameron, all who were checking up on her. The fifth was from Bethany, it read: _Glad to hear you're feeling better! Nicky's tomorrow?_

Peyton glanced at the mountain of homework before texting back: _See you then!_


	20. Chapter 20

Okay, the usual thanks to _Angel of the Night Watchers_, Lilly, and _Luli Cullen_ for their wonderful reviews! Keep them up, they make me smile. =)

As sad as I am to admit it, the story will soon come to a close, maybe within the next few chapters or so. Maybe 5 or 6, I haven't decided yet. But anyways enjoy this one! It's got all the drama some of you are waiting for. ; )

* * *

Chapter 20

It's complicated

Peyton buzzed with excitement as she and Rae strolled through the doors of Nicky's the next night. The bar was packed with residents of Ipswich, making it difficult for the two to wind their way to the back. When they arrived at the table they had claimed as theirs years ago, they found Rome and Drew Caldwell already sitting. As Rae took a seat by her brother, Peyton was nearly knocked to the ground by a blonde girl bouncing toward her.

"I'm so glad you're feeling better!" Bethany Marcus said as she detached herself from the brunette. Her smile was bright and caring, Peyton felt a little guilty for lying to her. But reminded herself that they had lied to _everyone._

"Thanks, Beth. I feel great now," she replied, smiling just as bright. She looked over crowded bar to see, just like usual, that most of their junior class was there. The triplets: Tracy, Lacy, and Kacy Becklin were hanging out by the pool tables, trying their best to capture the attention of Rae's ex-boyfriend Alex Montgomery and his pig-headed friends.

Peyton smiled at the familiarity of it all. Come Monday, when she would go back to school for the first time in weeks, her life would be completely back to normal.

Only minutes passed before the group split; Drew and Rome went off to play a game of pool with Bethany in tow, while Peyton and Rae headed to the bar for food and drinks. After ordering the usual basket of burger and fries, Rae turned so her back was to the bar.

"I wonder where Tristan and Cameron are," she mused as she scanned the crowd. When Peyton didn't respond, Rae peeked at her best friend to see her eyebrows raised. "What? Is it a crime to want to know where they are?"

Peyton sighed dramatically and placed herself in front of Rae. "Come on, just admit it already. You miss Cameron."

Rae shrugged her shoulders. "So what if I do? But it doesn't matter, he doesn't want to be with me…"

"'It doesn't matter?' Rae, Cameron was crazy for you!" Peyton said, only pausing as a thought crossed her mind. "Did you ever think that maybe the break up was _your _fault?"

Rae's eye widened at her friend's bluntness, and felt a twang of anger rise to her cheeks, coloring them a soft shade of red. She stayed quiet for a few moments as her reply was stuck in her throat. When she finally found her voice, her anger had vanished. "Yes."

The single word was soft, almost inaudible, and Peyton felt slightly guilty for putting the blame fully on her. "Well, than why not try again?"

At that moment, Quinn appeared within the crowd drawing Peyton's attention momentarily from Rae.

"Hey, ladies," he said after greeting Peyton with a kiss.

"Hi," Peyton said grinning at her hazel-eyed boyfriend. "When did you get here?"

"Not too long ago. It's packed," Quinn commented, glancing around at the mass of bodies. His gaze fell onto the dancing crowd now grinding to a fast paced song. "Care to dance?"

"Thought you'd never ask." Peyton smiled and Quinn grabbed her hand. Before she left, she met gazes with Rae, her tone serious, and said, "When Cameron gets here, talk to him."

"It's complicated…"

Peyton shook her head. "It's not unless you let it be."

Rae watched her go, knowing she was right. It was her own fault that they had broken up, all because of her own stupidity and worry of what others thought. Her feelings for Cameron were nobody's business but her own. Rae grinned as an anticipated excitement pushed out all of the negative thoughts from her mind.

After grabbing the food from waitress, Rae made her way toward the pool tables where Rome and Bethany had just started a game with Alex and Brent, both juniors at Spencer. Drew gave her a smile as she leaned against the table next to him.

"Mm, thanks, you brought me food," Drew said, stealing a few fries from the basket.

"Hey, hands off my food or I'll have to hurt you." Rae laughed as Bethany did a little dance after making a shot. Brent frowned while Alex's gaze went to Rae. Drew noticed his stare and leaned in close to her ear.

"Looks like you have an admirer."

Rae glanced up just in time to see Alex smirk and blow her a kiss. "Ugh," she said with extreme disgust. "I don't know what I ever saw in him."

Drew glanced from Rae to Alex, then back at Rae and let out a single laugh. "You dated that tool?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Rae said, taking a sip of her drink. "Big mistake, huge. He was an ass."

"Still seems like an ass to me," he replied, receiving a loud laugh from Rae in response. Drew stood and put his hands in the pocket of his jeans. "You wanna-"

But before Drew could finish his question, Rae's gaze was drawn to the entrance of the bar where Tristan and Cameron had just appeared. Her stomach twisted in excitement at the sight of the dark-eyed Son of Ipswich. It was like a dozen butterflies were fluttering around her intestines, fighting for a way to get out.

Her excitement lasted only seconds before a pretty blonde appeared behind Cameron and took his hand. Rae could feel her heart in her throat as she watched Cameron and the girl follow Tristan towards them.

"'Bout time you guys showed up," Drew said, shaking hands with both boys. He looked at the blonde curiously. "And who's this?"

The blonde's smile widened. "Hi, I'm Kendal." She looked at Rae who stood nearly frozen beside Drew. "We have Chemistry together."

Rae recognized her now; she sat four seats in front of Rae. Kendal was the top of the class and, staring at her now, Rae realized bitterly, that she was beautiful. Her long blonde hair framed her face, enhancing her high cheek bones and almond shaped eyes.

She knew she should have said something but no words left her mouth. She just stood staring, mouth slightly open in shock of the situation.

"Rae, you okay?" Bethany said, pulling her out of the small nightmare. Everyone was looking at her, everyone except for Cameron who had a sudden fascination with his cell phone.

"Yeah," she responded, forcing a smile even though she felt like exploding. She glanced down at the hand on Cameron's arm; the sight made her want to scream. Instead of doing so, she turned to Tristan.

"Where's Kelsey at?"

Tristan frowned a little bit. "She's supposed to meet me here so we can talk."

"She told me she'd be here." Bethany said reassuringly. A smile crossed her lips as her gaze went somewhere over his right shoulder. "Actually, there she is now."

They all turned to see Kelsey walking almost shyly up to the group, her eyes locked on her boyfriend. Without a word, Tristan went to her and led her somewhere where they could talk.

"Hey, fag," came Alex's voice. "Are you going to chat like little girls all night or are you going to play?"

Rome turned back to him, ignoring his first comment with a shake of his head. "You just can't wait to lose, Montgomery."

As the game resumed, Rae was once again left with Drew as company.

"Cute girl," Drew commented, nodding his head at the retreating forms of Cameron and Kendal heading to the bar. "Anyways, do you want to dance?"

"Actually," Rae said, forcing herself to tear her gaze from Kendal's hand that now rested on Cameron chest. Only days ago Rae had had her own hand on the very same spot after Cameron saved her from the alley gang when the two had searched for Peyton. Burying her jealousy, she smiled up at Drew. "I'd love to dance."

Pulling him to the dance floor, Rae swayed to the beat of the music and flung her arms around Drew's neck. His grin spread wide across his face as he pulled Rae closer to him.

As the night passed, Rae did her best to keep both her eyes and her mind off Cameron Danvers. But every once in a while she would catch herself staring in his direction, and every time she did, Kendal would be hanging all over him. Though once, she had caught Cameron looking at her and she felt a strange satisfaction at the look on his face.

A few hours went by and Rae detached herself from the thicket of bodies and made her way to the bar. Kelsey Abbot emerged from the crowd and placed herself next to the Daughter of Ipswich.

"Looks like you were having fun out there," she commented, with a smirk on her face. "Drew's pretty cute, and it's totally obvious that he has a thing for you."

Rae smiled in response hoping that Kelsey wasn't looking for a worded reply so she changed the subject. "Everything okay with you and Tristan?"

"Yeah, just a little rough patch," Kelsey said before beaming. "We talked, apologized, blah, blah, blah. Things are good now. I was being silly. He's amazing."

As if on cue, Tristan appeared before them with a pool stick in each hand. "I am pretty amazing," he said with a laugh, handing his girlfriend one of the two sticks. "Rome and Bethany want to play us. You up for it?"

"No, it's okay," Kelsey said waving it away. "I'm horrible, you know that."

Tristan looked at Rae and grinned. "What do you say, Garwin?"

Rae smirked then grabbed the stick. "Let's kick ass, Simms."

Together, they made their way to the tables where Rome and Bethany stood waiting. The brown-eyed blonde raised her eyebrows at the sight of Rae with the pool stick and groaned. "We're gonna lose."

The group around them laughed loudly as the game began. Rae shot first and succeeded in sinking two solid balls into a single pocket, receiving a high-five from Tristan and a frown from Bethany.

"Told you," she said as Rae made one more ball in her second shot.

By the time there were only a few balls left on the table, the bar had slowly started to clear out though it still was no where near empty. Rome leaned forward, intent on sinking his last ball before the eight ball when something caught Rae's eye. Cameron was headed toward to door of Nicky's with Kendal leaning heavily into his embrace. From where she stood she could not hear him, but saw Drew, who was right by the door at the jukebox, stop him. A large smile was on his face as the dark haired Son of Ipswich spoke to him. Their conversation only lasted a few seconds before Cameron adjusted his grip on the girl and walked from the bar.

The sound of a disappointed groan brought Rae's attention back to the game to see a grin on Tristan's face. "Good try, you two," he said, looking around at his small group of friends. "Now, who wants to take on the champions?"

"I'll play one on one," Bethany said with a grin. "Let's see if you can beat me without Rae."

As Tristan started to set up for another game, Drew made his way back to them and took a seat next to Rome. A new song with heavy guitar and deep voices blared through the speakers as Drew spoke.

Rae leaned in closer to hear their conversation.

"…completely wasted," Drew was saying. "How she got alcohol here, I have no idea. Maybe she has a fake I.D." Drew grinned and, unaware that Rae was listening, added a comment that she wished she had not heard. "Cameron's taking her back to the dorms, if you know what I mean."

In response, Rome laughed. "Dude, I don't want to hear about it. I couldn't care less about Cameron's sex life."

Rae's heart was in her throat again, but this time she felt as though she could literally get sick at any moment. Drew's words swam over and over in her head: _Cameron's taking her back to the dorms…_

"Oh, my God," she said, feeling suddenly lightheaded. Her gaze fell onto the dance floor where Peyton was laughing and having a blast with her boyfriend. Though Rae needed her best friend, needed to cry and to hear words that would pull her out of her sudden misery, she didn't go to Peyton. She instead turned to her brother, interrupting their conversation.

"Can you take me home?"

Rome's raised his eyebrows as he met his sister's gaze. "You okay?"

Rae shook her head, fighting against the tears that threatened to spring from her eyes. "I don't feel well. Please, take me home."

He looked at Bethany who had just started her game with Tristan then back at his sister. "Well I'd have to come back and get Bethany…"

"I'll take her home. I was thinking about leaving anyways," Drew offered as he stood up and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair.

"Thanks, man," Rome said. He stood and kissed the top of his sister's head, noting her pale face. "Feel better, and let me know when you get there."

"'Kay," she said. Not even saying goodbye to the others, Rae followed Drew out of the bar and to the parking lot.

Outside it was cold and the snow crunched under their feet as they walked to the car that sat slightly covered with white flurries. Once in the car, Rae leaned her head against the window; the chilled glass seemed to keep her feelings at bay. She could also feel Drew's gaze every once in a while as they drove the short distance to Spenser Academy but she ignored him, pretending to be interesting in the scenery December had brought.

They arrived in the school's dorm parking lot within 15 minutes and before the car stopped, Rae unbuckled her seatbelt.

"Thanks," she said.

"No problem," he smiled. "You think you need me to escort you to your room?"

Despite how she felt, a smile formed on her lips. "I think I can manage. I'm sick, not drunk."

Drew laughed, the sound was muffled by the space of the car. "Fair point," he said. His gaze searched her eyes for a moment. "Would you like to go out with me sometime?"

Rae's smile faltered. "Um, well…I don't know…"

"It's okay," he said, not a bit fazed by her hesitation. "Just let me know if you'd ever like to."

"Okay," she replied, reaching for the door handle, opening it slightly. "Thanks again."

She stepped out of the car and pulled her jacket closer to her as she made her way through the double doors of the dorm building. She walked quickly to her dorm room and, after unlocking it, threw herself down on her bed still fully clothed. The tears came quickly as she lay there and cried herself to sleep.

* * *

The bell rang, signaling that the last Monday class was over. Rae rose from her desk and made a beeline for her locker. As she pulled her backpack and coat out of the locker, she glanced up and down the now crowded hall. And her breath caught when she saw the one person she had managed to avoid for the last couple of days.

Rae slammed her locker shut and hurried in the other direction. She heard her name being called but she didn't turn around even when he began to nearly shout. She was just about to round a corner when a hand grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"Rae," Cameron Danvers said. "I've been trying to get catch you…are you avoiding me?"

"No," Rae said, though her tone implied greatly that she was obviously lying.

Cameron's eyebrows raised. "You skipped lunch."

"I wasn't hungry," she retorted, freeing her arm from his grasp and walking away. The sound of the chattering students was lost as she took a sharp left down a deserted hallway; a short cut to the dorms that she and Peyton had discovered their freshman year.

"Can we talk?" He practically had to jog to keep up with her brisk pace.

"What about?" Rae asked without even a glance back at him. They turned another corner and every sound but their footsteps faded.

Cameron licked his lips. "About the other night…"

Rae spun on her heels to face him, her expression scary calm. "What about the other, Cameron?" Her voice hitched a bit as the words left her mouth, but her eyes gave her away. They showed the sadness, the hurt, the anger she felt towards him. If looks could kill, Cameron would have dropped down dead that very moment.

Cameron felt his own anger boil his insides at her reaction. He lunged for her, grabbing her arm as his eyes bled black and together they disappeared from the school's hallway only to reappear on the cliff tops at the Dells.

"What the hell!" Rae shouted over the gusty wind that shook the ice covered trees. She tore her arm from Cameron's grasp and shoved him in the chest, causing him to stumble back in surprise. "Are you crazy!"

"Maybe," Cameron yelled back. "But we aren't leaving until we talk."

Rae let out a loud bark of laughter, but found no humor in the situation. "There's nothing to talk about, Cameron!"

"Then why are you avoiding me?"

Exasperated, she let the words fall from her mouth, feeling no guilt. "I've been trying to avoid you since we broke up."

"And whose fault was the break-up?"

Despite the cold weather, Rae felt heat race to her cheeks as she flushed with anger. With her hair whipping around her face, she glared at Cameron who stood with his arms crossed tightly over his chest. It was like a staring contest, neither blinked or moved. "Well, it wasn't mine."

Now it was Cameron's turn to laugh humorlessly. "You're something, you know that? Okay, yeah I broke up with you but you were the one who didn't want to tell anyone about us. You wanted to keep it a secret, like you were ashamed of us or something. So yeah, I ended it. After that you told me to leave you alone, and I did. You practically told me to move on, Rae!"

"And you did just that with Kendal, didn't you?" She shook her head just a fraction, picturing Cameron walking out the door with the pretty blonde. Her voice was low, barely heard over the roaring wind.

Cameron's face froze and the anger left his eyes. "Yeah, I guess I did."

"Fine by me," Rae said coldly. "We're done here then?"

"Yeah, we sure are."

"Alright."

Cameron watched her eyes bleed black then vanish, leaving him to stare at the spot where she stood only moments before. His heart pounded hard against his ribcage. "Fine." he said, speaking to no one but himself, and with a flash of fire that danced across his eyes, he too vanished from where he stood.

* * *

"How are things with Quinn?" Bethany asked as she sat on the floor of Peyton's door room, flipping through a magazine. "You guys are adorable together!"

Peyton smiled, feeling a giggle rise in her throat just thinking about Quinn Sheel. "Things are really good. I really, really like him."

Bethany grinned back. "I can tell. Don't you just love being in love?"

"Whoa, there. I never said I was in love with him." Peyton laughed as she dropped onto her bed and looked out the window.

"Yeah, okay. If you're not in love with Quinn than I'm a virgin." Bethany replied sarcastically with a roll of her eyes. Peyton shook her head, amused at her friend but made no further comment on the topic. To her shock Bethany did not push it further.

Outside, a light flurry of snow had started to fall, causing a blanket of white to cover everything outside. There were many students creating snow angels and having snowball fights. At the edge of the woods, Peyton could just make out a group of freshman boys trying to build an igloo.

"Well, my friend, I'm off to study." Bethany stood as Peyton looked back over her shoulder. "Finals are a gonna be the death of me."

Peyton waved her goodbye, and just as the door closed behind her, Rae appeared in the middle of the room.

"Rae!" Peyton yelled in shock, glancing at the door. "Bethany only left seconds ago! You could have exposed-" Her sentence faltered as she got a better look at her best friend.

Tears were built in her eyes, extremely close to spilling over as the blonde looked down at her. The pain and sadness radiated off of her as Rae threw herself at Peyton and started to cry. The words that stumbled from her mouth made no sense to Peyton, everything was jumbled.

"Cameron h-hates me! He had sex with Kendal…"

Tears formed in her own eyes and her heart ached for her best friend. She wished that there were comforting words she could say, anything to take some of the pain away, but as words raced through her head she knew none of them would do justice. So, she hugged Rae tighter and allowed her to cry freely.


	21. Chapter 21

Hey all! Hope all is well and everyone is excited for the end of an amazing year and the start of a new one! As I said before Generation of Five will be coming to a close but lets not worry about it right now!

So thank you to _Angel of the Night Watchers_, lilly, _Luli Cullen_, _Loverofgoodstories27 _for their awesome reviews!

* * *

Chapter 21

Problem Solving

"Hey, you okay?" Quinn asked as he sat across from Peyton in a small café in town. He sipped his coffee, surveying her. "You seem distracted."

Peyton sighed and set her latté down on the table a little harder than she had meant to, causing liquid to spill over the side of the cup. "I'm sorry," she said, grabbing a few napkins to clean up her mess. "I'm just worried about Rae."

It had been nearly a week since Rae had balled her eyes out onto Peyton's shoulder over Cameron and the fact that he had taken another girl home over the weekend.

"Is everything okay with her?" He asked, concern in his hazel eyes.

Peyton opened her mouth to reply but stopped herself almost immediately. Should she share such a secret about her best friend? She had promised Rae not to tell a soul; only one person knew about Rae and Cameron's unintentional relationship and it was her. If she were to tell Quinn, and he accidentally let it slip to someone else, who knows what would happen?

She dropped her face into her hands and groaned. "She has…boy drama."

Quinn gave a small chuckle and grabbed Peyton's hands, making her look up. "Do you mean Cameron drama?"

Peyton's jaw dropped open in shock. "How did you know?"

Quinn laughed, intertwining their fingers together. "Actually it was a guess, but I mean, last week at Nicky's I could practically see the jealously rolling off of her when that chick was around." He paused and looked up thoughtfully before his gaze went to her again. "Now that I think about it, Cameron was pretty jealous himself whenever Drew was near Rae."

"God," Peyton sighed and leaned back in her chair, though still keeping their hands together. "They are so stupid and stubborn that neither of them will admit their fault." She shook her head, biting her lip as she felt the words rise from her throat against her will. She was about to spill everything and break her promise…but Quinn kind of already knew. Would that count as betrayal, if he already knew? Peyton decided that it didn't.

So after one deep breath, Peyton told him everything: How the two became Rae and Cameron, and how Peyton watched them fall for each other, feelings growing fast to something extremely close to love. Then with a slight frown, she told Quinn about the break-up and the drama that led up to now. By the time she finished, Quinn was frowning too. But not for the same reason as Peyton.

"The night they broke up, that's when you came to my apartment," he recalled, his eyebrow's pulled together as if the memory brought a bad taste to his mouth. "I'm so sorry. I should have told you about Chase then."

Peyton smiled gently, remembering how she had yelled at him. "It's okay. The past is in the past."

Quinn grinned and leaned across the table, kissing Peyton's lips tenderly but still managing to take her breath away. "So," he said, "about Rae and Cameron…What are you going to do?"

Peyton blinked. "What am_ I_ going to do?"

"Yeah, you're the best friend," Quinn said with a shrug of his shoulders. "You gotta try something."

"I guess you're right." Peyton said. Sipping her latté, she glanced outside where the snow fell heavy like rain. "I'll talk to them."

* * *

The next morning, Peyton rose quietly from her bed and pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater. She looked over her shoulder where Rae lay curled under the blankets, her lips set in a slight smile as if her dreams were completely to her liking.

Peyton's heart squeezed sympathetically at remembering Rae's puffy eyes and heartbroken sobs the night she had cried on her best friend's shoulder. She had never seen Rae so upset before.

Now, she tiptoed to the door and closed it gently behind her. Her footsteps echoed around the empty hallway as she made her way toward the stairs that led her up one floor. It was strange, she thought, that even though there was only a little over an hour until classes started, not a soul was in sight. But she wasn't going to complain. Her feet carried her to the end of the hallway before she stopped and knocked.

Peyton waited for a few minutes but no one answered. So she knocked again, this time harder.

"It's fucking 5:30 in the morning!" A muffled voice shouted from the other side of the door. "Go away!"

"It's Peyton," she replied, putting a hand on the knob of the door. "I need to talk to you."

There was a pause, then the deep voice said, "We can talk later."

Peyton huffed in frustration as she peeked up and down the hallway. When she was sure that she was going to remain alone, fire danced across her irises, bleeding her eyes black. She focused her gaze on the door knob, and with a satisfied smirk, the lock clicked.

The door swung open and Peyton walked in to see Cameron Danvers jerk upright, jaw hanging.

"Oh don't look so shocked," Peyton snapped as she closed the door behind her. "I am a powerful witch, if you forgot."

Cameron closed his mouth and stayed quiet, his gaze wary on Peyton as she sat on the end of his bed.

"Like I said before," she started. "We need to talk."

Seeming to find his voice, Cameron lifted his chin. "No, we don't. Anyways, Tristan will be back any-"

"Don't lie. I know Tristan stayed with Kelsey last night." She watched Cameron fall silent once more. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

Cameron met her gaze with narrowed eyes, knowing exactly what she was talking about. "What's the point?"

Peyton paused, thinking. "The point is that you and Rae were crazy for each other."

"_Were_ crazy for each other," Cameron emphasized, his dark brown eyes falling to the blanket. "Past tense."

Impatience and annoyance flared within her. "Uhh! Cameron, really? You know you still care about her and that she still cares about you. She was head over heels for you."

He looked up at her, his gaze cold. "If she cared that much she wouldn't have wanted to keep us a secret and we'd still be together."

Now, Peyton fell silent. She hated to admit it but she understood where Cameron was coming from. But remembering her own reaction when Rae had first told her about the sudden relationship, she also understood why her best friend had wanted to keep her relationship quiet for the time being. Her head was spinning with ideas to fix the problem.

"Why not give it another shot? I mean, it's worth a try isn't it?"

Cameron sighed, clearly tired of the conversation though it had just begun. "Peyton, Rae made up her mind…I mean, she practically told me to move on. I got the message loud and clear."

A snippy comeback bounced on her tongue but she held it back. Though she wanted so bad to ask about Kendal and tell him how the tears Rae had shed could have easily filled an ocean, she kept quiet.

The way Cameron's face was set, Peyton knew that the short conversation had ended. She sighed and walked to the door, mentally scolding herself for waking up early and getting no where with Cameron. She wondered if she should have meddled at all. She left without another word and when she arrived back in her room, Rae was stepping from the small attached bathroom.

"Hey," Rae smiled as she ran a brush through her blonde hair. She already had her school uniform on. "Where were you?"

Peyton slapped a smile on her face in return. "I couldn't sleep."

Rae plopped down on the bed and kicked her legs, watching Peyton pull her sweater off. "Well if you get dressed quick enough, maybe we'll have enough time to run into town and grab some coffee before class."

"Yeah, okay," she replied, then added hesitantly, "You seem chipper today."

Rae shrugged but her expression turned a little sad. "I've decided that I'm not going to sit around and mop anymore. If Cameron is moving on then so should I…" Peyton raised an eyebrow in question as she changed into her Spenser's uniform. "A few days ago Drew asked me if I'd ever like to go out. We are going out tonight."

Peyton's green eyes widened in surprise, but Rae didn't seem to notice as she stood and grabbed her jacket that hung by the door. "I'll go start the car. Hurry up!"

When the door closed behind the blonde, Peyton shook her head. After pulling her socks and shoes on she grabbed her own jacket and purse and headed for the door. So Cameron had moved on with Kendal, and now Rae was going on a date with Drew Caldwell.

"So much for trying to mend things…" she muttered to herself as she closed the door.

* * *

Rome walked down a corridor in the dorm building, his footsteps falling quickly. He had heard a rumor during school hours and he needed to find out if it were true. He stopped in front of a familiar door and knocked; the door swung open almost immediately.

"Rome," Bethany Marcus said in surprise but smiled at her boyfriend.

"Hey," He replied, peeking over her shoulder into the room behind her. "Is it true?"

Bethany opened her mouth to reply but Rome pushed past her and walked into the room where his twin sister, Rae Garwin, stood in front of her closet.

"Hey, Ro," she said simply. "What's up?"

Rome glanced at Bethany who had closed the door behind her and flopped down on a pink bean bag on the floor. It was then that he noticed Peyton on her bed, flipping through a magazine, eyebrows creased together as if something was on her mind.

"Is it true you're going out with Drew Caldwell?" He asked.

Rae rolled her eyes and turned away from her brother. "I'm not going _out_ with him…it's just a date."

"You're going on a date with him?" Rome repeated in disbelief.

"God, Rome. Don't start the whole protectively brother thing now, please." Rae said as she grabbed a pair of black closed toe heels from the floor of her closet and pulled them on.

"Rae, you know I don't like you dating my friends…"

Rae rounded on him and Rome surprised himself by taking a few steps back. "I don't know how many times I have to say it before it gets through that thick skull of yours, but I can date whoever the hell I want to. And I don't need your stamp of approval." She took a breath to calm herself before saying, "Besides, it's only one date. It's not a big deal."

Rome was stunned speechless. His gaze went to Peyton and Bethany; his girlfriend gave him a sympathetic look, while Peyton's gaze was on Rae. When he found his voice, he spoke with careful words. "Okay. Okay, fine. You're right, you don't need my approval. Just…just be careful, alright?"

Rae nodded but didn't say anything.

"I'll see you later then," Rome said, backing toward the door. Bethany pushed herself from the floor and followed her boyfriend from the room, leaving the two girls alone.

"What the hell was that about?" Peyton asked, tossing the magazine aside.

"I snapped, okay?" Rae said. "I'm just tried of him being in my business."

"You broke up with Cameron because you didn't want to tell your brother about your relationship, because he is Rome's friend, and yet you basically just told him it didn't matter what he thought of who you dated." Peyton shook her head at her best friend. "Why in the hell couldn't you have told him that months ago when you were dating Cameron?"

Automatically, Rae felt the tears in her eyes. "It's different, Peyton. Cameron is his best friend."

Peyton laughed without humor as she stood and walked to the door. She turned around and pointed a finger at her roommate. "It's not different, Rae. You're just being a stubborn ass. Both of you are being so stubborn!"

Confused and hurt, Rae watched her best friend slam the door behind her.

"Whatever." She pushed Peyton's words to the back of her mind, angry that everyone seemed to mad at her for one reason or another. So with a less than happy attitude, Rae grabbed her purse and made her way to the bottom floor where Drew was waiting.

When she saw him, she gave a polite smile. "Hey."

"Hey," Drew replied, grinning widely. "You look great."

"Thanks. So you do."

And he did look great, with his dark denim jeans and black jacket. Actually, now that Rae got a better look at him, he was gorgeous. His dark hair hung just above his brown eyes making him look intense and mysterious but sweet and cute at the same time. She did like him, after all he was good looking and a really cool guy. But she didn't _like _him. There was no jolt of excitement at seeing him, no flutter in her stomach. This date was only a way to help her start moving on, like Cameron had.

Her insides twisted uncomfortable at the thought of her ex-boyfriend.

"You ready to go?" she asked, trying to rid the image of Cameron Danvers from her mind.

Drew nodded and pushed the door open, causing a drift of snow and chilly wind to race in from outside. "I have to admit I was glad when you called."

Rae's gaze flicked to him as they walked toward the parking lot, she gave a tight lipped smile.

* * *

The following day the sun was out, shining brightly on the blanket of snow covering the school grounds of Spenser Academy. It sparkled and shimmered like thousands of tiny diamonds, beckoning all to come and play.

The school day had ended hours ago and many students had taken advantage of the clear day. Some had managed to get sleds while others had started a snowball fight, their screams and laughter could be heard for miles around. Though most had made their way outdoors, a few had hauled up inside with movies, blankets and hot chocolate.

In the dorms Peyton and Quinn were cuddled on her bed watching Elf, Rae was on her own bed when Kelsey and Tristan walked in, both shaking from the cold.

"Hey you two," Rae greeted. "Get all your Christmas shopping done?"

Tristan nodded and fell into the bean bag in front of the T.V. "Sure did. We ran into a bunch of people, too. We saw Kendal, remember her? The girl Cameron brought to Nicky's the other night?"

Rae's eyebrows raised and looked at Peyton, expecting to share a knowing stare. But her best friend didn't even spare her a glance. The two hadn't spoken since their small fight the previous night though Rae had tried to start a conversation many times.

"He's not going to date her is he?" Kelsey asked with her nose wrinkled as she sat down at the end of Rae's bed. "I didn't like her. She kept letting those guys buy her drinks, even with Cameron standing right there. She was so wasted. But I guess he didn't mind because he left with her. I hope he's not back to his old ways."

She had Rae's full attention now and she couldn't help but scoff. "Great. The old Cameron. Screws them then ditches them."

Peyton sat up out of Quinn's arms and glared at her best friend. "Don't be stupid. Maybe he's only doing that because someone hurt him."

Rae met Peyton's stare, completely floored by the way her friend was acting. She bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from saying something she would regret. A wordless conversation passed between the two and the others must have noticed the tension because Tristan cleared his throat.

"What are you talking about? He didn't sleep with her."

"Cameron left with her early that night at Nicky's," Kelsey replied. "Everyone saw them leave together."

"Kels, we left after him," Tristan said, making sure he had her attention. And he did, he had everyone's attention. Rae's blue eyes wouldn't move from Tristan as he spoke. "She was wasted, so he took her back to her place to sleep it off. So yeah, he left with her but Cameron didn't have sex with Kendal."

Cameron didn't have sex with Kendal. Rae's heart thudded rapidly in her chest as Tristan turned back around the face the T.V.

At that moment Rae felt Peyton reaching for the telepathic connection they shared, she looked up and her gaze met Peyton's once again. But Rae knew what she was going to say, so before her words could be heard, the blonde stood and strode to the door with determination. She pulled her phone from her pocket as she closed the door behind her and leaned against the cold wood.

Opening a new text message, she typed in: _I need to talk to you. Now. Where are you?_


	22. Chapter 22

SURPRISE! Since it's around the holidays and the end of a wonderful New Year I thought I'd surprise you all with a new chapter! =D

But first I want to thank _Angel of the Night Watchers_, _Lilly_, _Luli Cullen_, _babydoll223 99_ for their awesome reviews! They made me smile.

Okay, for those who are Rae and Cameron fans, this chapter pretty much revovles around them. ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 22

Confession

Cameron stood in the kitchen of his house keeping his mom company when his phone beeped twice. He reached into his jeans pocket and stared at the text message, a little more than shocked at seeing Rae Garwin's name on the screen.

It read:

_I need to talk to you. Now. Where are you? _

Thinking that she wanted to yell some more, he set the phone down on the counter with no intent on replying. Only minutes passed before his phone started to ring. Glancing down, he felt a pang of irritation when he saw it was Rae calling.

His mom looked over her shoulder, her gaze flicked from Cameron to his phone then back again. "Aren't you going to get that?"

"Nope." Cameron shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. If Rae wanted to yell at him she would do it on his terms. Though he had to admit the curiosity as to what she wanted to talk to him about so badly made his fingers twitch. After all, they hadn't spoke in almost a week. Actually, not even a glance was shared or given.

The moment after his cell phone stopped ringing, the sound of the house phone shrilled loudly and immediately he knew who it was. He scanned the room in search for it and found it in the hands of his mother as she picked it up. Cameron couldn't do anything but watch River answer, cradling the phone between her shoulder and ear.

"Hello?" River paused as she listened to the other person speak. "Oh, hi, Rae! Yes, Cameron is here." Another pause. "Okay, sweetie see you in a little while."

Cameron sighed as his mother hung up the phone.

"Rae's coming over." she stated without need as she returned to cooking their evening meal.

"Yeah," he replied dryly, standing up, "I figured that."

River faced her son, eyes searching. "I haven't seen her in a while. She used to be here all the time. Everything okay? Have you two had a fight?"

"You could say that, yeah." Cameron made his way out of the kitchen and up the carpeted stairs to his room. He tossed himself down on his king sized bed and put a hand over his face, mentally preparing himself for more yelling, because he was sure that's why Rae was coming over. What about exactly, he didn't know but he would find out soon enough.

* * *

Rae stuck her cell phone in her back pocket just as the door she had been leaning against opened and almost caused her to fall over. She steadied herself and looked up to see Peyton holding a set of car keys and a purple jacket.

"Here," Peyton said, handing her both items.

Hesitant, Rae took them. She could hear Tristan, Quinn and Kelsey inside the room debating on what movie they should watch next. "So, what? Now you're talking to me?"

"I know," Peyton said. "I'm sorry. But let's not worry about that right now." She pushed Rae further into the hallway and closed the door so only a sliver of her face could be seen. She winked one eye and smiled, looking much more like the best friend Rae was used to. "Good luck."

Rae returned the smile and quickly turned on her heels, heading toward the stairs that would lead her out of the dorm building and to the campus parking lot below. Her nerves were rattled and her mind was jumbled as she placed one foot in front of the other. The building wasn't exactly empty and several times she had to rudely push past people who tried to stop and chat with her.

A door to her left suddenly opened up and she nearly crashed into the person who stepped from the room. Her arms flew out in attempt to avoid the collision and ended up draped around the person's shoulders to stop herself from falling.

"Whoa, easy there," the deep voice said just as Rae looked up to see who had saved her from face planting the floor.

"Drew!" she said in surprise. "I'm sorry about that, I wasn't really looking where I was going."

Drew's smile spread into a grin as his arms that encircled her waist tightened. "I don't mind."

It was then Rae realized her own arms were around his shoulders still. Quickly, she stood up straighter and took a few steps backwards. "Sorry," she said again, lamely. After their date the previous night, Rae hadn't talked to him. In fact, she made a point to not talk to him. Drew had tried to kiss her at the end of the night and she had dodged it by pathetically faking a cough.

To say it went badly was an understatement.

"I had a fun time last night." Drew said, eyes on her.

Rae blinked. Apparently the date had gone brilliantly in Drew's mind. "Yeah," she said absently, trying to sound too nonchalant. "But, hey, I've actually got to go. I'll see you around, okay?"

Without waiting for a reply, Rae sped around him and raced outside into the frigid air. She pulled her coat closer as she made her way to her car, shivering with each step. After shoving the keys into the ignition, she was off and her mind wandered over the words Tristan had said.

"He didn't sleep with Kendal." she repeated, a slight smile on her face.

But though she was full of relief at the fact, something was bothering her. Why hadn't Cameron told her the truth? When they were on the cliffs at the Dells, she had asked if he had moved on with Kendal…had he said yes? She couldn't remember his exact answer but whatever the answer was, it wasn't the truth.

* * *

It was dark and quiet inside the Garwin Estate, a strange thing on an early Friday evening. The twins were still at the dorms and Paige was upstairs putting laundry away. Reid sat on the couch, eyelids drifting shut as the News anchors on the T.V. in front of him jabbered on and on about something that was no interest to him. He was nearly asleep when the sound of his wife's voice startled him awake.

"Reid!" Paige yelled again, causing Reid to jump from the couch and race from the living room.

"Paige?" he called as he ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He found her standing in the middle of the hallway, holding something small and square in her hand.

"Jesus, Paige," Reid said in relief at seeing his wife in one piece. "You scared the hell out of me. What's going on?"

Paige waved the item in her hand up in the air. "This."

"Okay," Reid said, taking the few steps it took to close the distance between them. "What is this?"

"A condom wrapper," Paige hissed between her teeth. "He's having sex!"

Reid bit his lip to stop from laughing out loud. He gave her an even look and tilted his head to the side. "Paige, he's a seventeen year old teenager now. I was younger than him when I first had sex. So were you. And besides, at least he's being safe."

Rae's eyes narrowed dangerously as one hand went to her hip angrily. "Reid Andrew Garwin, Rome is our son and he is having sex in our house! Sure he's being safe, and that's wonderful but what if the condom broke? Are you ready to be a grandfather?"

Immediately his amusement ceased as he considered her words. "You're right. I'll talk to him." He shuddered as a thought crossed his mind. "But you have to talk to Rae, too. Just incase."

"Rae's not dating anyone," she paused, then heard what she had just said. "Okay, we'll talk to both of them after dinner tonight."

* * *

Cameron could practically feel the anger stirring within him, mixing with the Power that ran through his veins. He was tired of fighting and yelling, of trying to explain everything to everyone. He was tired of making up excuses and avoiding certain situations that including Rae. Ever since they broke up, Cameron noticed how his own moods have been less than pleasant. And now as he lay waiting, his mood began to sour and his anger leapt a level.

The sound of a doorbell ringing pulled him from his thoughts. He sat up, knowing who it was but called upon his Power anyway. The iris of his eyes flashed then glowed a dark green and he focused his advanced sense of hearing, listening to his mother welcome Rae Garwin into their home. It wasn't long before he could hear her footsteps on the stairs, and as she drew closer to his room, the sound of her racing heartbeat.

Seconds later, Rae stood in the doorway, hesitant and to Cameron's dislike at the moment, beautiful.

"Hey," she said, stepping cautiously into the room.

The scowl on his face and the anger he felt started to fade fast but he tried his best to hold onto it. He didn't dare say anything back in fear of breaking down and letting his anger disappear completely. So in response, he crossed his arms over his chest and just stared.

Rae stepped fully into the room and closed the door behind her with visibly shaky hands. "I know I'm probably the last person you want to see to but I needed to talk to you."

After making sure he had a good hold on some small piece of resentment, he spoke. "Why? I thought you didn't want to talk."

He was glad to hear some coldness in his voice because he could feel it slipping away with every second that passed.

"I didn't. That is until I found out something." Her answer was even and simple. She stopped, contemplating her next words. "You and Kendal didn't sleep together. Why did you lie to me?"

Cameron held her gaze steadily, though he was caught off guard. "I didn't think it would matter if I told the truth. You still wouldn't want to be with me." The anger that had started to fade filled him again causing a river of emotion to build. "Oh, wait, let me rephrase that. We'd probably still be together but it would've been kept a secret."

He could almost feel the fury rolling off of her as her eyes narrowed.

"Doesn't matter?" Her voice had changed from being even to rough with emotion. "Cameron, that night I was going to tell everyone about us. I was ready. But you brought that stupid girl to Nicky's and practically flaunted her in front of me!"

"How in the hell was I supposed to know you'd changed your mind, huh? For nearly two weeks, I tried everything to make it work between us! And every single time that I did try, you'd shut me down. You basically told me to move on, Rae! So yeah, I tried to date."

Rae's face flushed red. "I understand that, but you lied to me about it!"

"Like I said before I didn't think the truth would matter." His jaw clenched and unclenched, trying not to explode any more than he already had.

Rae glared, her blue eyes hard and filled with rage. "And like I said, that night I was ready to tell everyone."

Silence fell, settling over them like a cover. The tension was thick and Cameron's heart thudded slowly while Rae's could compete with that of a hummingbird. After what seemed like hours, Rae spoke.

"I'm sorry," she said with tears in her eyes as she took a few hesitant steps towards him. "I'm so sorry, Cameron. I was so completely wrong for wanting to keep us a secret. I ruined us because of my fears and that was so unfair to you." She took the last few bold steps that closed the space between them and raised her hands, placing them on each side of Cameron's face.

"I apologize, from the bottom of my heart." The tears fell down her cheeks, leaving wet trails on her smooth skin. She smiled almost sadly. "And if you are willing to try this again, I will go right now and tell everyone about us. But if you don't want to-"

"I don't want to hear apologizes anymore," Cameron interrupted, pulling her hands from his face. "You basically threw us away, and now you want everything back to how it was?"

Rae shrugged, tears in her eyes. "I understand," she sighed and pulled her hands gently from his, wiping her eyes. "I'll understand if you don't want to try again, I messed up and it's my fault. But can we at least be friends? I don't want my stupidity to ruin the friendship we had."

Cameron glanced at the clock, less than 15 minutes had passed. Dammit, he thought bitterly as his gaze went back to Rae. He had planned on holding onto his anger much longer than that, but here he stood anger evaporated. As the moments passed he could see Rae grow more uncertain and uncomfortable, her gaze dropped from his face quickly. Though he couldn't see her eyes, he could feel her sadness, see it in the way that she stood and right then everything cracked.

"You're something, you know that? You've put me through hell. You've been selfish and unfair and to be honest, a complete and total bitch sometimes." Slowly, he raised his hands and grabbed her chin, lifting her face so that their eyes met again. "But despite all of that, I still want to be with you."

Rae's eyes widened, unable to find words. Instead, she threw her arms around Cameron's neck and pulled him close. Their lips crashed together in a kiss that took their breath away, hands roamed and pulled the other closer. Cameron's hand went to the back of her head, deepening the kiss. When they pulled apart, their breathing was heavy and Rae felt lightheaded but was smiling.

Their foreheads touched and they gazed into each others eyes. Cameron gently kissed her nose and Rae's heart leapt excitedly.

"Forgive me," she said, blue eyes searching his brown. "Will you forgive me?"

Cameron laughed, the sound was lighthearted and joyous. "Do you not remember that kiss we just had? That was me forgiving you."

"God, I was so stupid." Rae shook her head and pressed her forehead to his chest. "I should have told everyone when we first started dating."

"Yes, you should have," Cameron agreed, his hands never leaving her warm body. "And now, we have some explaining to do. Are you ready?"

Rae leaned back and looked up into his handsome face, she swelled with joy and kissed him, letting it linger. "Bring it on. But let's wait a little while longer." She grinned and pulled his head to hers, bringing their lips together once more.

* * *

By the time the two had arrived back at the dorms, the sun had fallen beyond the horizon, painting the sky black and purple. Rae pulled her car into the parking lot of Spenser Academy and turned off the engine, her gaze glued to the building before her. She took a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"Here's an idea," she said, turning to Cameron who sat comfortably in the passenger's seat. "You go in and tell Rome by yourself. I'll stay right here."

The sound of Cameron's laughter bounced around the inside of the car. "Yeah, so I can get punched in the face? No thanks, you're coming with me."

Rae groaned and bit the inside of her cheek nervously. At Cameron's house the idea of telling everyone seemed easy and simple, but now it felt like she were going to be sick. After inhaling slowly several times, Rae leaned over and brought her mouth to his in a swift kiss.

"Okay," she breathed against his lips. "Let's do this."

Together they stepped from the car and were immediately engulfed by the frigid air. The walk through the halls seemed long and silent. By the time they reached Rome's dorm, Rae's hands shook and Cameron's brow was creased.

They stopped just outside the door and Rae glanced at him. "Ready?"

Cameron grabbed Rae's hand and squeezed it gently. He smiled and pushed the door open to see Rome sitting on his bed talking on the phone. Rome looked up as Cameron walked into the room and lifted his head in greeting.

"Can we talk about this when I get there?" Rome was saying into the receiver, sounding annoyed. "Okay, yeah. I get it. Bye."

"Everything okay?" Cameron asked hesitantly.

Rome nodded. "Yeah, mom just found some condoms-" He stopped mid-sentence as his gaze went to Rae who he stepped out from behind Cameron.

"Please, don't finish that sentence," she said, wrinkling her nose. "I'd rather not hear about your sex life with Bethany."

"And I don't want you to know about it either," Rome grinned and set his phone down on the nightstand beside him. He grabbed his coat which lay on the bed. "But now that you're here we need to go home for dinner. And after that, Mom and dad want to talk to us about the birds and the bees."

Rae frowned but didn't comment on that particular subject. Instead, she took a steady breath and searched from the courage to breach a more difficult subject.

"Rome," she started, wringing her hands anxiously. "Okay, before I tell you, you need to promise me that you won't get mad."

Rome's eyebrows raised, his blue eyed gaze was intent on his sister as he nodded in agreement.

"Okay," Rae licked her lips and glanced at Cameron who smiled his encouragement. "You should know something. Actually, I should have told you forever ago…"

Before Cameron could stop himself, he grabbed Rae's hand, loving how it fit perfectly within his, and interrupted her. He blurted out the words should have said the first day him and Rae had started dating. Because even that day, he knew how he felt.

"Four months ago something happened," he said, thinking back to the party where he and Rae had drunkenly ended up sleeping together. "It was unexpected and terrifying at the same time, if it wouldn't have happened I don't know if I would have ever known how I feel. What I'm trying to say is…Rome, I'm in love with your sister."


	23. Chapter 23

Hey again all! This is like the thrid update within a month or two! Maybe, the story will be done with a month...but then again, classes start next week so maybe I'm trying to make up for how long it might be until the next update! =/ I will try my best to get the next chapter up as soon as possible though!

Thanks to _Angel of the Night Watchers_, _wildkat86_, _Luli Cullen_, and _babydoll223 99 _for you reviews! Hope everyone enjoyed it!

**AUTHORS NOTE!** I know some of you were asking about the birds and the bees scene, and as I thought more about it, it makes no sense why I didn't put some sort of scene about it in the chapter. Soooo, I went back and edited the chapter so there now is a small scene of the birds and the bees talk!

* * *

Chapter 23

The Secret's Out

"I'm in love with your sister."

It was the first time Cameron said these words aloud but it felt good to finally get them out. Beside him he heard a little gasp come from Rae and felt her hand tightened in his. He could feel her eyes on him but he kept his gaze on Rome, waiting for his reaction.

The eldest Son of Ipswich stared, his face void of any emotion. His blue-eyed gaze went from Cameron to Rae, then down to their joined hands. As the seconds ticked by, Rae could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage like a hammer. She was waiting for her brother to explode in fury or punch Cameron for daring to touch his sister.

"Say something, please," Rae begged, unable to stand the silence any longer.

Coming out of his reverie Rome looked at his sister, eyes questioning. "I thought you liked Drew?"

"No," Rae answered quickly. "No, I don't like Drew."

"Then why did you go on a date with him?"

Rae nearly fell over. Of all the things he could say, he brought up that. She could feel Cameron's body stiffen. "I don't like him. I only went on that date because Cameron went out with Kendal."

"Why did you go out with Kendal if were dating my sister?" Rome's eyebrows were creased and his voice had hardened a bit as he addressed Cameron.

"We were broken up at that time," he replied. "We had a stupid fight and things got complicated so I tried to move on…but I couldn't." Cameron looked at Rae and smiled adoringly. "I couldn't stop thinking about you."

Rae's breath hitched in her throat and she couldn't help but smile. She was so pleasantly surprised that Cameron could admit his feelings for her, especially in front of her brother.

"Are you happy?"

Rae looked at her twin brother and nodded eagerly. Stepping forward a little, she was very aware of the tears pooling at the edge of her eyes. "I'm in love with him, too." she said, almost giddily. She glanced at Cameron and couldn't stop the leap of her heart as their eyes met.

"I'm not going to lie," Rome started, gaining back their attention. "I'm surprised. Very, very surprised." He looked at Rae and grinned. "He just doesn't seem to fit your usual type, does he?"

Rae felt relief flood through her like a breaking damn and she matched his grin. "Well isn't that good thing he's not my usual type?"

"Yeah, he's not an ass." Rome laughed and looked at Cameron. Though he smiled, his eyes were serious as he considered his best friend. "He's a good guy for you, Rae."

An uncertain smile pulled at Cameron's lips. "Are you serious? I thought you'd murder me. You said you'd never want your sister to date your friends."

Rome shook his head. "I didn't want her to date my friends outside of the Covenant, I don't trust them like I trust you guys. Cameron, you're like my brother. I just assumed that Rae thought of you the same way I did. I guess I was wrong to assume that."

Rae was speechless. All she could do was stare at her brother in a fascinated disbelief. He was completely fine with her relationship with Cameron. She mentally kicked herself thinking if she would have known this was going to be his reaction, Rae would have told him ages ago.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner," Rae said. "I should have said something when it happened but I was scared how everyone would react. Especially you."

"I'm sorry I made you feel that way. You should be able to tell me anything." Rome glanced at the clock just then and sighed. "Mom and dad are expecting us home for dinner so we should get going. But first I need to talk to Cameron. You go on ahead."

Rae stayed put, staring at her brother nervously. Here it was, the protective brother was finally going to make his appearance. Rae cringed at the thought of leaving them alone now in fear of what might happen if she did.

"Rae, I'm not going to kill him," Rome said with an amused laugh.

"Okay," she said slowly. Turning to Cameron, she gave him a comforting smile before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

He watched her go, then, almost fearful, faced Rome. Now that Rae was gone his nerves jumped a little at seeing his friend's serious face and arms crossed over his chest.

"Do you really love her?" he asked.

"Yes," Cameron answered easily. He knew why this particular question had been asked, it was because his friend knew of his old reputation with girls. But Rae was so very different than any other girl he had been with. With Rae, he saw a future, a life full of love, not just a few nights of fun. "I didn't lie when I said I was in love with her."

Rome nodded, mulling over his words. He was quiet for a few moments before speaking again. "I know she can take care of herself but…just be careful with her. Unlike the other tools she's dated, I trust you to take care of her."

"I will," Cameron agreed.

With a shake of his head, Rome pulled on his coat and clasped his friend on the shoulder. "I'll see you later. I'm off to have a lovely dinner followed by the most awkward conversation ever."

Cameron laughed, now feeling completely at ease. "Yeah, have fun with that."

* * *

Tristan sat across from his best friend a couple hours later, mouth ajar and blue eyes wide. Had he heard Cameron right?

"I'm sorry," he said with a shake of his head. "I must have heard you wrong. Did you say you and Rae were-"

"Dating, yeah," Cameron interrupted, rubbing his hands together as he shifted on the bed. It had taken him only moments before the words flew from his mouth, not even waiting before Tristan entered the room entirely.

Now, the youngest Son of Ipswich sat in disbelief, looking unsure of what to say.

A smile crossed Cameron's lips at the thought of his girlfriend. "I'm in love with her."

Tristan breathed out as he studied his friend, waiting for Cameron to shout, 'Just kidding!'. But he found no humor or amusement in his face, his dark eyes were more serious than ever.

"Wow," Tristan said. "How did this happen?"

Cameron shrugged his broad shoulders, wondering how much he should say on the subject. After all, the main reason why him and Rae got together was their drunken night that led to sex. He cleared his throat. "Uh, actually we woke up together the morning after Mike's party a few months ago. At first I was totally freaked out, I mean she's Rae! But as we drove home, I was thinking about it, about us just felt…right."

From then he explained everything that had happened in their relationship. From their kiss on the side of the road, to the break-up and the drama that had fallen in between that moment and now. He told Tristan about his trying to mend things, then everything falling apart again and again. And, as he spoke of what had happened only hours ago, he couldn't contain the grin on his face.

When Cameron finished, Tristan leaned forward, elbows on his knees and smiled. "I've never seen you like this, Cameron."

"I know," Cameron agreed easily. "It kind of scares me sometimes."

"It'll scare the hell out of you," Tristan said with a laugh. "But it's worth it. Especially if it's with the right girl. And my friend, I think you've found the right girl. Rae's great, I'm really happy for you both. Have you told anyone else yet?"

"Yeah, Peyton's known since it started," Cameron explained, glancing out the window. The snow was still falling and the chill hung in the air, preparing for the upcoming holiday. Christmas was only a week away and only two more days of school stood between Spenser's students and winter break.

"We just told Rome a couple hours ago," he continued. "Other than him, you and Peyton, no one else knows."

Tristan frowned. "How did Rome react? You're not dead so I guess he was at least a little okay with it."

A bark of laughter escaped Cameron. "Actually, it was a little scary just how okay he was with it."

"Really?" Tristan laughed too, unable to picture Rome calm and collect after finding out one of his best friends was dating his sister. "I thought he'd never want any of his friends to date Rae."

That had been exactly what Cameron had thought, being one reason why Rae had been so afraid to tell her brother. But once they had told him about the love they felt for each other he seemed happy for them. Actually, if Cameron were being honest with himself, he was still waiting for the moment when Rome went off on him for dating his sister. He knew he was being stupid but he couldn't help it. It felt too easy.

"Cameron, from what you told me, you and Rae hit a few bumps in the road already," Tristan commented, after Cameron voiced his concern. "From where I sit, I don't see it as being too easy. I think everything has finally settled down for the two of you. So if it works, it works. Don't question it."

Cameron felt a rush of gratitude toward his best friend. "You're right. Thanks, Tristan."

Tristan stood and gripped Cameron's shoulder showing his support of the dark-eyed boy and the Daughter of Ipswich. "I'll see you later man. Kels wants me to help with her homework."

"She's a clever girl to be dating one of the smartest guys in class. Maybe she's using you for your smarts," Cameron joked.

"Hey, there's an upside to being the smart guy; I get rewarded." With that Tristan gave a wink and strode from the room, leaving Cameron alone with his thoughts.

The dark haired boy fell back onto his bed and closed his eyes. He wouldn't have to tell any else about him and Rae, the rest would find out for themselves soon enough. He was more than sure that Tristan would tell Kelsey, and Rome would tell Bethany. A slight frown settled on his face as he thought of his parents and the rest of the Covenant parents.

_Later_, he told himself. _I'll tell them later.__

* * *

_

Dinner at the Garwin's estate was delicious as usual. After the plates had been taken to the kitchen and the mess cleaned, Paige turned to her daughter.

"Rae, I'd like to talk to you," she said, drying her hands with a kitchen towel. "Follow me."

Rome watched his sister follow their mother from the room, then turned reluctantly to his dad. He took a seat at the breakfast bar and waited for Reid to speak.

"Rome, your mother found condoms in your room earlier today," he started, standing across from his son. "She was a little upset that you were having sex."

Rome cringed at the thought of having such a conversation with his father. "We use a condom every time, and Bethany's on the pill, so it's not like we aren't being safe."

"I understand," Reid said, becoming more sure of himself. "But birth control isn't 100% effective and neither are condoms. They break all the time. There was one time when we were younger, that a condom we were using broke-"

"Dad!" shouted Rome, covering his ears. "I don't want to hear about your sex life with mom!"

Reid bit back a laugh that rose in his throat. He knew the topic of sex made his son very uncomfortable, and as bad it was, he was very amused at the moment.

"Your mother thought she was pregnant," he continued uncomfortably. "It was the summer after we graduated high school and we were terrified at the thought of bringing a baby into the world so young. We weren't ready then."

Reid paused, remembering those long few minutes as they waited for pregnancy test's results. They had never mentioned it to anyone, not even those within the Covenant so bringing up now brought back the fear he had felt. "Thankfully, it was only a scare. After that we did everything to prevent pregnancy until we were ready to have children."

Rome stared at his father for a few moments. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I just want you to be aware of what can happen," Reid explained. "I know I can't stop you from having sex but just want to make sure that you're using all the precautions. Condoms, birth control, pullout-"

Rome closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. "Dad," he interrupted again. "I get it, be safe at all times, I understand. Can we please stop talking about this now?"

"For the moment, yes," Reid answered, crossing his arms over his chest. "But on one condition…"

"And that would be?"

"If you have sex in this house, make sure you throw away the condom wrapper," Reid said, pointing to his son. "If your mother finds another one she might have a heart attack."

Rome hid his smile as he turned his back for a moment to glance at the door his mother and sister had disappeared through. He wondered how their conversation was going. Knowing his mom, she was probably having Rae take notes. He faced his father and held out his hand.

"Deal."

* * *

Later that night, Rae huddled deeper into her jacket as she and Rome stepped out into the cold night. As she exhaled, her breath formed white puffs in the air.

"Wow," Rome started, shoving his hands into his pockets. "That was interesting. When I have kids, remind me never to have that conversation."

Rae laughed as they approached his car and climbed in. Once inside and the engine on, she spoke. "Okay, but how will they know about the birds and the bees?"

Rome's eyebrows creased for a moment as he thought. "I'll give them an educational video or something."

"Mom's teaching side came out when she was talking to me. Actually, I was kind of waiting for diagrams to pop up at some point." Rae shivered at the memory. It had definitely been an interesting conversation. Paige had become so serious about the topic; safe sex, birth control, condoms, etc. She basically covered everything, and secretly Rae gave her mom props because she knew that it must have been difficult for her.

"So you and Cameron, huh?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Rae looked at her brother. His gaze was on the road in front of him but feeling her eyes on him, he glanced over.

"Uh-uh," she replied, feeling her cheeks turn pink. "Me and Cameron."

Rome nodded as he turned the steering wheel left, heading back to Spenser's. The world around them was white and snowy, and as more flurries fell on the bitter December night, Rome tried to figure out how the relationship of the Son and Daughter of Ipswich had started. He set his jaw in concentration, thinking. Had there been any signs?

Mentally, he shook his head. Sure, Rae and Cameron had flirted a little more than the others in the Covenant had but he never thought anything of it.

"When did it happen?" He asked, unable to keep his thoughts to himself any longer.

Rae was silent for a few moments before she spoke. When she did, she chose her words very carefully.

"It was the night of Mike's party a few months ago. I ran into Alex and he said some things that upset me. So me, being the smart one that I am, I started to drink."

Rome's blood boiled at the mention of her ex-boyfriend Alex Montgomery but he kept quiet at she continued the story.

"Anyway, I got really drunk, I don't remember really what happened after that. But when I woke up…"

At her pause, Rome looked over to see her biting her lip, obviously unsure of whether or not continue. Rome shifted in his seat uncomfortably, seeing where the story was leading. He cleared his throat and reluctantly asked the question that bounced around in his mind.

"Did you have sex with Cameron?"

"We both had a lot to drink so we were going to pretend it never happened," Rae answered quickly, "We were going to say that it was a huge mistake and that we were never going to talk about again. But on the ride home that morning, he said he wanted to give us a try. So we did."

"And now you're in love," he finished for her, trying to lift the tension he felt. Though he trusted Cameron to be with his sister, Rome still found it strange to think of him dating his sister.

Rae laughed lightheartedly. "Trust me, I never thought it would happen either. But I'm glad it did."

Rome found a smile on his face. Rae looked blissfully happy, with her legs curled up to her chest and her chin on her knees. Her blue eyes were on him and a smile was on her face.

"I'm glad you know," she said, sighing contentedly.

Just then, Spenser Academy came into view looking like a gothic castle with its old stone walls. After parking, he and Rae made their way toward the dorm building. Rae's mind started to roam as she followed her brother past the double doors and into to warmth inside. She wondered what the others would think about her and Cameron being together, though now she didn't care, not anymore.


	24. Chapter 24

Hey All! Hope everyone is doing well! =) I want to thank Lilly, _Luli Cullen_, and _Angel of the Night Watchers_ for their amazing reviews. Now enjoy the chapter and REVIEW! =)

* * *

Chapter 24

Approaching Holidays

By lunch time on Monday, everyone knew about the relationship between Rae Garwin and Cameron Danvers. Most kept their opinions to themselves but some let their thoughts be known, including several jealous sophomore girls that had a few choice words for Rae.

As she strolled down the school hall, Rae could feel plenty of eyes on her, but her gaze was on a dark haired boy waiting for her by her locker.

"Hey," she said with a grin. At the beginning of the day, with all of Spenser's students around, Rae felt unsure and shy to show any display of affection towards her boyfriend. Now, she felt confident and proud as she stood on her tiptoes and placed her lips on his in a sweet kiss.

"Mmm," Cameron mumbled against her lips as the kiss lingered. "That's nice."

Rae's grin was wide as they pulled away, feeling a strange exhilaration. "I can do that whenever I want to now."

Cameron grabbed her hand in his and pulled her closer. "Then why don't you do it again?"

Their lips met for a second time but not for long, as someone cleared their throat somewhere close to them. They pulled apart to see, Bethany Marcus with her arms crossed over her chest. She was smiling.

"Keep it PG rated, my friends," she said, stepping out of the way of some passing students. "I still can't believe it. I should have seen it coming!"

"No one saw it coming," Rome said, appearing at her side. He grabbed Bethany's backpack and slung it over his own shoulder. "We're going to get something to eat, wanna join?"

"I have some homework to catch up on," Rae answered with a frown. Her insides warmed as Cameron's fingers intertwined with hers.

"I'll go," he said, nodding his head toward Rae. "I need to get some last minutes Christmas shopping done anyways."

"Wow, what a good boyfriend you are." Bethany rolled her eyes. "Nothing like waiting until the last minute, huh?"

Rae laughed and kissed Cameron on the cheek. "Have fun, get me something good."

She made her way through the hallway, passing hordes of students on their way to their cars or dorms. The fact that only two more school days stood between them and Christmas break, was almost unbearable. The excitement wafted through the air, putting everyone in good spirits. She felt it, too. Everything was perfect.

As she stepped from the school and into the bitter winter weather, even the cold couldn't damper her mood. Her heart felt light as the bright sun high in the sky, the laughter of familiar voices pulled her from her thoughts. Kelsey and Peyton were walking towards her. Both were already changed from their school uniforms.

"Hey girly!" Kelsey grinned as she spotted the blonde. "Care to join us for some food?"

Rae shook her head. "Wish I could but I've got homework to do."

"We only have two days of school left, how can you have homework?" Peyton asked, her green eyed gaze sweeping the school grounds.

Rae shrugged and followed Peyton's gaze to a red motorcycle. A man sat upon it in a black leather jacket and dark denim jeans. Quinn pulled off his helmet, spotted the girls and waved. Peyton beamed.

"Have you told him yet?" Rae said, turning back to her best friend.

Peyton looked at Rae, confused. "Told him what?"

Kelsey and Rae shared a knowing look. "That you love him."

Peyton blushed, her gaze flicked to Quinn but she stayed silent.

"You should," Bethany said. "He's one hott man."

"I don't love him because he's hott." Peyton's face turned four shades deeper as she realized what she said. She loved Quinn but she'd never admitted to it out loud. She looked up at Rae to see her grinning.

"Well, I'm off to do some homework. Gotta love procrastination." Still grinning, Rae walked around the two girls and headed into the dorm building. She was just about to head up the stairs when Drew Caldwell caught her attention as he stepped from his dorm room on her left. His gaze found her immediately.

"Drew," she found herself saying as they continued to stare at each other. "Hi."

"Hey," Drew replied. His voice had a little edge to it, a defensiveness and Rae knew exactly why. He must have been reading her mind because he opened his mouth and said, "So you and Danvers?"

Rae nodded, slightly uneasy but when she spoke her voice was even. "Yeah."

Now it was Drew's turn to nod. A few moments of silence passed before either spoke. "You know, you could have just said no. No one likes to be played, Rae."

Though the bitterness had suddenly gone, a jolt of sympathy and guilt washed through her. "I know, it wasn't fair to you. I didn't mean anything of it, really. Things between Cameron and I…well, they were complicated." She intertwined her own fingers and shifted her stance. "I'm sorry, Drew."

Drew looked at her, his head tilted a little and shrugged his shoulder. "I guess I should have guessed something was between the two of you."

Rae couldn't help but smile. "If you can believe it, you're not the first one to say that."

Drew laughed, all the bitterness gone from his face. He looked over his shoulder as the double doors swung open and a group of girls stepped through. A few girls waved at Rae who gave a friendly wave back. One girl, a brunette with bright green eyes, gazed at Drew with a look that Rae knew all too well.

As the girls began ascending the stairs, Rae leaned closer to Drew. "I hope this isn't too soon, but I've heard Emily Gregory has a thing for you," she whispered, nodding to the girl who kept glancing back at him.

Drew's eyebrows raised, his gaze went to the cute brunette. Emily met his stare, and a soft blush spread across her cheeks. She gave a shy smile before disappearing around the corner. Drew continued to stare at the spot where she had disappeared, a small smile hung on his lips.

"She's asked around about you," Rae continued, grabbing back Drew's attention. He looked at her with a furrowed brow, brown eyes questioning. "Too soon?" she asked.

"Maybe, but thanks for trying." Drew's smile was small but genuine. He held out a hand to her. "Friends?"

Rae glanced down and placed her hand in his. "Friends."

* * *

The next day, Peyton strolled down the sidewalk that led to her house, a warm cup of hot chocolate in her hands. She pursed her lips together and peered at Quinn next to her. The muscles in his jaws were tight, his face a little pale. "Are you okay?"

Quinn met her gaze steadily. "No, I'm not," he said, taking a deep breath. His expression was serious, and Peyton immediately felt worried. She pulled him to a stop and placed the back of her hand across his forehead, feeling for a temperature.

"I'm not sick," Quinn said, grabbing her hand in his.

Peyton's eyebrows pulled together in confusion. "What's wrong then?"

He was silent for a few moments, his gaze trained on the frozen ground beneath him. When he spoke, he sounded almost embarrassed. "I'm nervous," he mumbled.

"Nervous?" Peyton tried not to laugh. "About what?"

Quinn nodded toward the house. "About dinner," he explained. "I've never had dinner with a girl's parents before."

Now Peyton had to laugh, but it didn't last long because Quinn's gaze narrowed on her, his hazel eyes irritated. "I'm sorry," she said, subsiding into random giggles. "But you've had dinner with my parents before. Why so nervous now?"

"The other times, Cameron, Rome and the others and their parent were there too," he pointed out. "It'll be just me, you and them. That's scary to me."

Peyton smiled and stood in her tip toes to place a kiss on his lips. "You'll be great. Stop worrying, you're being silly," she said. A gust of wind swept past them causing both to shiver from the cold. "Okay, I'm freezing!"

She managed to pull him through the front door and into the warmth of the heated house. As they took off their coats, Peyton called for her parents who appeared seconds later with smiles of their faces. Quinn felt his nerves bunch painfully in his stomach.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Parry," he greeted. Peyton gave him a strange look at his formal behavior.

Blake pulled him into a motherly hug. "It's nice to see you again, Quinn," she said, smiling. "You know to call us Blake and Pogue, none of this Mr. and Mrs. stuff."

Quinn instantly felt more at ease. He grinned as Pogue grasped his hand firmly in greeting then led him to the dining room where he was hit with the delicious smell of mashed potatoes, grilled chicken, green beans and hot rolls. Quinn's mouth watered instantly.

"Smells amazing," he said.

Looking pleased, Blake sat down at a one side of the table while Peyton took a seat across from her. Quinn placed himself next to his girlfriend and Pogue sat next to his wife. There was a pleasant quiet that settled over them as the food was passed around and served. Once everyone's plates were full, Blake looked up at Quinn.

"So," she started as she cut a piece of her chicken. "Are you in school?"

"Nah," he answered. "I mean, I was but it wasn't really my thing."

Pogue nodded his head. "That's understandable. College just isn't for some people." He looked pointedly at his daughter. "But it is for you."

Peyton grinned but her mouth was full so she didn't speak, she just nodded. Blake scooted in her seat and leaned against the back of the tall chair. "If school isn't your thing, what is?"

Quinn gave a small shrug and smiled. Since his arrival for dinner, he had felt his nerves slip into a familiar comfort that was hard to deny with the Parry's. "I'm still figuring that out, actually."

"Peyton tells me you're from Boston," Pogue said, wiping his mouth on a napkin. A smile appeared on his face as he looked at Blake. "We lived there when Blake was pregnant with Peyton. But it wasn't our home, Ipswich is." He turned and spoke to Quinn. "How did you come to move to Ipswich?"

"I had a job to-," he cut himself short, realizing his mistake too late. He glanced at Peyton but she didn't meet his gaze. Her face had gone pale, her eyes were wide.

Not noticing her daughter's expression or Quinn's sudden discomfort, Blake laughed. "What kind of a job would bring you to such a small town?"

Though it was a simple question, the answer was not so simple. It was more than complicated, and if he were to answer truthfully all hell would break loose. And that couldn't happen.

"Umm," Quinn mumbled, feeling his heart beating fast in his chest. He looked from Blake, whose eyes were curious and kind, to Pogue with his eyebrows pulled slightly together. Quinn prayed that it wasn't suspicion he saw in his gaze. Averting his own gaze to the table, he cleared his throat.

"One that was a huge mistake," he finally answered truthfully. "My employer wasn't a very good guy."

There was a slight pause in the conversation where Peyton's parents waited for more to hear. But before Quinn could continue or her mom and dad could push for more, Peyton spoke up.

"Sounds like a lot of employers, doesn't it?" she said with a laugh. She looked at her mom. "I remember your old boss wasn't a good person either."

Quinn gave an inward sigh of relief as Blake began to tell a story about how one of her previous employers was a pig and how many of her female coworkers had complained about him hitting on them. Next to him, Peyton's shoulders relaxed. Her hand found his under the table and squeezed. In that touch, Quinn knew exactly what she was thinking…

_That was close.__

* * *

_

Cameron stood in front of the mirror, studying his choice in outfit. He grimaced at his reflection and pulled the shirt over his head, replacing it with a plain white t-shirt and a black leather jacket. Seeming satisfied with his appearance, he turned to Tristan. "How do I look?"

Tristan tapped his chin. "You look great!" he joked, speaking with a feminine voice, and burst into laughter. "You look nervous."

"Fuck you, I do not," Cameron said defensively, even though Tristan was spot on. In truth, he had never been this nervous for a date. But this would be their actual first real date. In public, in front of everyone. Another reason for his nerves was that, unlike any other dates he'd been on, he was in love with Rae.

"You'd better go," Tristan said, jerking his head toward the clock on the nightstand that sat between the two beds of the dorm room. "Or you'll be late for your date."

Cameron grabbed his car keys and wallet and shoved both into the pocket of his jacket. He took a deep breath in and let it out in a rush of air. "Okay, I'll see you later then."

Tristan grinned. "Have fun."

* * *

A couple hours later, Bethany stood in front of her closet, a large pile of folded clothes laid at her feet. She grabbed a shirt, bent down and picked up the pile and carried it to her bed. She had just placed them in a large black suitcase when a knock sounded. She crossed the room but when she opened the door, no one was there.

Her eyebrows pulled together as she stepped outside her room and peeked down the hallway. A bark of laughter escaped her throat at the sight before her. Rome and Tristan had flattened themselves against the wall just outside her dorm room as if they couldn't be seen, eyes closed. Tristan peeked one eye open, his gaze immediately finding Bethany.

"I think we've been found out," he said to Rome who had his forehead on the wall. Rome tilted his head to the side and smiled at his girlfriend.

"You guys are so weird," she said, shaking her head. As she stepped back into her room, a pair of arms encircled her waist. Rome's breath tickled her ear as he placed a kiss on her temple.

"Isn't that one of the many reason you love me?" he asked, stepping around her so they stood face to face. His smile and clear blue gaze never failed to take Bethany's breath away.

Catching her breath, Bethany placed her hands on his chest, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt. She leaned up to kiss his lips. "Of course it is."

Rome gave a goofy grin as Tristan fell onto Bethany's bed causing the suitcase to jump an inch off the mattress. "Where's your awesome roomie, Tracy?" he asked sarcastically.

"Uh," Bethany scoffed then sighed in what seemed like extreme relief. "She already packed up and moved home for the holidays. Thank God," she said, before adding, "It's amazing that I'll be triplet free for almost two and a half weeks."

"Yeah, that's awesome," Rome said. He stared at Bethany for a few moments and reached for her hand which was felt small and delicate within his. "But you'll also be away from me."

Bethany squeezed his hand and grinned up at him. "Only for a few days," she said excitedly. She glanced at Tristan who was watching her curiously. "I'm going home for Christmas but my mom said it was okay if I came back early. I'll be staying with Kelsey until we can move back into the dorms."

Rome's pleased grin nearly took up his whole face as he grabbed his girlfriend and lifted her off her feet. Bethany giggled as he spun her around twice and set her feet back down on the floor.

"We'll be able to spend New Years together," she continued happily. Her fingers brushed lightly over his cheek, loving the feeling she got from look in his eyes.

Tristan cleared his throat, grinning at the loving couple. "Should I leave you two alone?"

Bethany rolled her eyes but stayed within the comforting embrace of the Son of Ipswich. "Speaking of alone, where is Kelsey? She was supposed to be here like an hour ago to help me pack."

"Oh, she's helping Peyton with something real fast," he said with a shrug. His blue eyed gaze went to the clock, the green letters told him it was nearing 10 p.m. "Give her a few more minutes."

"Too late," Bethany said, nodding to the three other suitcases that sat on the floor near the door. "I just finished up. You guys wanna help me carry them to the car?"

Tristan stood from the bed and grabbed one of them, Rome stared at Bethany as she tossed her keys to the brunette who left the room. "You're leaving tonight? But it's late…"

"I know but I have to be at my grandparents by noon tomorrow," she said. "My parents are already there, so I have to drive all night to make it on time."

"That's a long way to drive by yourself, Bethany," Rome said. "You should have left this morning so you could drive during the day instead of the night."

Bethany frowned and grabbed the suitcase, hauling it from her bed. Irritation was all over her face. "I think I can handle driving 8 hours by myself, I've done it before. I'll be fine."

"Hey," Rome said, grabbing her arm gently. "You know I have a point, right?"

"I guess." She sighed and didn't look at Rome. "But I wanted to be with you for a little bit longer. Being away from you for even a few days…I just don't like it."

He understood where she was coming from because just the thought of not seeing his girlfriend until after Christmas made him a little sad. And it didn't help that he would worry the entire 8 hours she drove back to New Castle, Delaware. A thought struck him, but a few moments passed before he voiced it.

"I could…go with you."

Bethany looked up into his warm blue eyes. "How would you get back?"

Rome shrugged, unable to let the truth be known to her. Though he loved Bethany with all his heart, they had only been together for a few months. Tristan and Kelsey had been dating for much longer than that, even if it wasn't official, and she didn't even know the secret. He wasn't sure he was ready to reveal the family secret to her just yet.

"I'll figure it out," he said. "I just don't want you to drive alone."

She stared at him, a hesitant smile played at her lips. Slowly she brought her arms around his waist and pulled him closer. "Have I ever told you that you're the best boyfriend ever?"

"Not today you haven't," Rome said before bringing his lips to hers in a kiss that lingered. When they pulled away, her smile was huge and excited.

"This is our first road trip together!" She bounced up and down on her toes as she spun away from him and grabbed the suitcase she had dropped. "And you'll get to meet my grandma," she added. "She'll think you're a totally hunk."

Rome laughed and reached for the remaining two suitcases. "Doesn't everyone think that?"

Bethany bumped playfully into him as they left her room and made their way down the hallway. Up ahead of them, Tristan was walking toward them with Bethany's keys in hand.

"You better watch out, Tristan," Bethany called to the youngest Son of Ipswich. "You've got some competition for the title of Best Boyfriend."

"And who are you talking about?" Tristan called back, amused.

"Rome," she replied, stopping in front of him. "He's offered to accompany me in my travels. Even though he has no idea how he'll be back."

"I'll fly back," Rome answered as Tristan's gaze went to him with raised eyebrows. Rome knew his friend knew just how he were to get back. He would teleport. Within the look they shared, he also knew that Tristan thought it was risky, even if Bethany hadn't the slightest idea of exactly how Rome would be returning to Ipswich.

Just then Kelsey and Peyton appeared at the end of the hallway, arm in arm.

"Where the hell have you two been?" Bethany called, not realizing the silent conversation between the two guys.

The two girls shared a knowing look. "Helping out a friend," Peyton said, noticing the suitcases. "Are you leaving tonight?"

"Yep, I've got a long drive and Rome's offered to tag along," she said with a loving grin as she glanced at her boyfriend.

Kelsey kissed Tristan in greeting but Peyton looked at Rome. "How very sweet," she said. Unlike Tristan, Peyton's eyes showed full support. "That's a long drive, maybe you'll find out some new things about him."

Rome blinked in surprise. Peyton had pretty much said aloud that she thought it wasn't a bad idea to let Bethany in on the secret. But he himself wasn't so sure it was a good idea, maybe in a few months he would let her know. He looked at Bethany and a smile spread across her face as their eyes met. His heart gave a flutter and his stomach clenched pleasantly.

"We should head off," he said. "I want you to be able to rest a little when you get to your grandparents."

Bethany nodded and started saying her goodbyes. "I'll see you guys in a few days," she said as she hugged Kelsey tightly. "Tell your parents I said Merry Christmas."

"Will do," Kelsey said with a smile. "Drive safely."

Together, the five of them made their way to the parking lot where Tristan, Peyton and Kelsey waved goodbye as Bethany's red Mazda pulled away from the school and disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

"What a romantic, lovely _real_ first date," Rae gushed as Cameron held open the passenger door. She stepped out and grabbed his hand in hers, loving how even his cold touch had the ability to warm her body. No others words passed between the pair as they made their way across the school parking lot and towards the dorm building. The sky outside was a deep dark blue and the air was still and frigid as if at any moment snowflakes would start to slowly fall. Once inside, Rae led the way up the twisting stairs.

"Tell me again why you didn't let me take you home?" Cameron asked. It was Wednesday night, finally Christmas break and most students had already packed up and gone home for the holidays. Only few remained behind who planned on leaving the next day.

"Shh," Rae hushed as they neared her dorm room. She stopped in front of her door and faced Cameron. "Wait here," she said before opening the door and disappearing behind it. Minutes passed and Cameron's curiosity rose as he continued to wait.

After a whole ten minutes had passed, Rae finally opened the door and pulled him in. Cameron's mouth dropped open at the sight that surrounded him. Dozens of white lit candles covered almost every surface of the room, and rose petals scattered the carpeted floor and one of the two beds.

He turned to Rae and his heart stopped at the sight. He didn't notice before, but she had changed from her jeans and nice top. Now, she wore a dark blue off the shoulder shirt that fell just mid-thigh. He doubted anything was underneath it.

"Wow," he breathed.

Rae bit her lip and gestured around the room as she closed the space between them. "Is it too much?"

Cameron smiled as his hands went around her to hang low on her back. "No," he said, kissing her nose gently. "It's perfect. How did you do it?"

Rae beamed. "Peyton and Kelsey set it up, I just told them how I wanted it."

"Remind me to thank them." He reached up and tucked her blonde hair behind her ear.

"I just wanted us to be alone," she said. Her stomach tingled pleasantly as his lips met hers. He brought a hand to the back of her neck, deepening the kiss. She felt her knees go weak, and to make sure she didn't collapse, she snaked her arms around his shoulders.

"I love you, Rae Garwin."

Rae's heart jumped happily within her chest as she stared into his dark eyes that sparkled with his feelings for her. "I love you, too."


	25. Chapter 25

Thanks for being patient, my friends! It's been a crazy month! But here it is! Enjoy.

Oh, and thanks to Lilly, Luli Cullen, Angel of the Night Watchers, babydoll223 99 for your lovely reviews! Reviews make me smile =)

* * *

Chapter 25

More Confessions

The road they traveled was dark, and seeing how most holiday travelers ventured during the day, few cars were on the road with them. Snowflakes fell from the sky like rain, covering the ground in a white blanket, covering the trees that lined the long stretch highway.

From behind the wheel Rome peeked over at Bethany. She was fast asleep in the passenger seat, her head resting on the glass window. He reached over, careful to not wake her, and gently pushed the hair that had fallen over her face. She stirred but did not open her eyes. Rome smiled to himself as he turned his attention back to the road.

It had been five hours since they left Ipswich and only after the first two, Bethany had begun to get weary. So Rome took over so she could rest. She had fallen asleep almost immediately.

Now as he drove, with the soft hum of the radio, he let his mind wander. From the moment he agreed to drive with Bethany the whole seven hours to New Castle, Delaware, he had been sure that he wanted to keep her in the dark about who he really was. But now he was conflicted. Peyton had known Quinn for way less of a time than he knew Bethany, and he was in on the secret.

_That's because he'd got caught up in it_, Rome told himself. _There was no choice but to tell him._

His gaze found her again and his heart squeezed. She looked so peacefully beautiful and most of all innocent, would it be right to bring her into his world?

Rome chewed at his lip, lost in thought.

"No," he said aloud, answering his own question. He knew it wouldn't be right to bring the girl he loved into his sometimes hectic world of power. But as he thought that, he felt that he wouldn't be without Bethany, he couldn't.

"How long was I asleep?"

Rome looked over to see Bethany smiling sleepily at him. "Hey, beautiful," he said. "You've been asleep for a few hours. How much longer do you think we have?"

She looked at the clock on the dashboard. "I'd say another hour or so. We're making great time considering this mess." She jabbed her thumb toward the window where it was a blind blur of white snow outside. Bethany leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad you came with me."

"Me too," he said, turning his head to give her a quick kiss on the lips. "You know, I never realized until tonight that you snore in your sleep."

A horrified look crossed her face and her cheeks turned a shade of pink. "I do not snore!"

Rome burst into laughter and grabbed her hand in his. "I'm kidding. You don't snore. You look like an angel."

Bethany rolled her eyes but a smile was wide on her face. "Always the charmer, Rome Garwin. How did I get so lucky?"

"I'm the lucky one," Rome said, completely serious. He lifted her hand to his and pressed his lips to her skin. "I love you so much."

"And I love hearing you say that," she laughed and rested her head on his shoulder. "I love you with all my heart. Can you believe we've only been dating for a few months? It seems like so much longer."

Rome's gaze met hers and his heart swelled with the love he felt for her. "Well, when it's right, it's right."

A car horn blared suddenly causing both of them to jump in surprise. Bethany twisted in her seat and looked out the window to see a blur of blue as a car sped around them.

"What an idiot!" Bethany yelled. "He shouldn't be driving that fast in this weather."

As if on cue, the small blue car started spinning out of control in front of them. Everything went into slow motion at that moment. Bethany's scream echoed around him as Rome slammed on the brakes, trying desperately to avoid the collision he knew was coming. He could hear the metal from the hood of the car start to crunch as it came in contact with the other car, causing the glass from the windshield to shatter. Another scream ripped from Bethany's throat but this time Rome's own scream joined hers.

In the moment of panic, he did the only thing that came to mind during that terrifying time. He tightened his grip on Bethany's hand and closed his eyes. The color of his iris' shifted from blue to a deep glowing shade of pink. The next thing he knew, they were standing just outside the line of trees, both cars sat in the middle of highway, totaled. It was bad. The front end of Bethany's Mazda was crumpled. But the other car had it worse. When Rome had tried to avoid the wreck he ended up T-boning it instead.

"Wh-what…what happened?" Bethany cried. Rome didn't have a chance to reply because just then a blood curdling scream cut through the air, sending a shiver down his spine.

"Stay here and call 911!" Rome called as he rushed toward the wreckage. As he neared the other car he could see that the man was young, maybe five years older than Rome himself, with dark hair and an even complexion.

"Help!" the man said through the broken window, spotting Rome. "I can't feel my leg."

Using his added strength from his power, Rome jerked open the jammed door and cringed at the sight. The man's leg was pinned between the seat and the steering wheel, clearly broken. He looked him over and saw a deep gash in the guy's arm and chest, a piece of thick glass stuck out of each wound. The seeping blood made his stomach churn. He prayed Bethany had called 911.

"What's your name?" Rome asked, trying to distract the guy from looking at his own leg.

"K-Kyle," he sputtered, fear and pain thick in his voice.

"Alright, Kyle, I'm gonna get you out of here," Rome promised, kneeling down so that he was eye level with the steering wheel. "Close your eyes and try to relax."

Doing as he was told, Kyle squeezed his eyes shut tightly. Rome then focused his gaze on the steering wheel that had crushed the man's leg during the crash, and called to the power that swam through his veins. Fire danced across his pupils, painting his eyes completely black. With the power, he was able to free Kyle's leg from seat and steering wheel.

Kevin cried out with a mix of relief and pain as Rome grabbed him under the arms and lifted him from the car. Bethany appeared at his side to help, and Rome noticed then that she had a few cuts on her face. Together they laid Kyle gently on the ground where he closed his eyes, face pale. Thankfully they heard the sound of an ambulance only seconds later.

Bethany buried her face in Rome's chest and began to cry. She was shaking within his embrace, but from shock or cold, he wasn't sure.

"I don't understand," she said. "One moment we were inside the car then the next thing I know we were standing here." She paused and shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "Did I pass out or something?"

The ambulance and police were close now, the lights danced across Bethany's face as they came closer. He grabbed her face between his hands and stared into her eyes. "Bethany, there's something I need to tell you."

* * *

Back in Ipswich, Kelsey sat on the floor with her legs curled comfortably underneath her. She smiled to herself as soft singing drifted to her ears from the kitchen. Rylee had started her own carol of Christmas songs as she baked fresh Chocolate Chip Cookies and made several appetizers for the following night. Last year was the first year Kelsey had spent Christmas Eve with the Simms', and back then she had come as Peyton's and Rae's guest. This year she would come as Tristan's girlfriend.

Looking around the large living room, she took in all of the Christmas decorations placed lavishly by Mrs. Simms herself. A large pine tree sat in the corner of the room, draped in white lights and blue and silver ornaments that sparkled when the light hit them. Several green and red candles were placed around the room, small flames dancing on the tips. Before her, a fire crackled in the hearth spreading warmth over her body.

"What are you smiling about?" came Tristan's voice from behind her. Kelsey peeked over her shoulder at her boyfriend and smiled even more broadly. She held a single finger to her lips, shushing him and pointed to the door that separated the kitchen and the living room.

Together, they listened to his mom start to softly sing "Baby it's Cold Outside". Kelsey waited for it, knowing it was coming, and she grinned in satisfaction as Mr. Simms' voice joined his wife's in the duet.

Kelsey put a hand over her mouth to quite her giggles. "They're so cute!" she said as Tristan joined her in front of the fireplace and wrapped his arms around her.

Her giggles subsided and she drew herself closer to him, placing her head on his shoulder. She took a deep breath through her nose, inhaling his wonderful scent. She glanced at the window into the dark night and sighed. It was a blizzard outside. There was no wind and the snow fell quickly, as if determined to cover every inch of surface in the town.

"I should get home," she said, "before it get's too bad."

"Or you could just stay here with me," Tristan answered, hands moving to her thighs.

Kelsey laughed out loud as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yeah, my father would just love that." She kissed his lips, making it linger. "Can you take me home or should my dad come pick me up?"

Tristan got to his feet and pulled Kelsey up with him. "I doubt my car would make it through the snow but maybe I can take my dad's truck."

Together the two made their way to the kitchen where Rylee and Tyler had just finished their perfectly harmonized duet. Rylee looked up and smiled sweetly at her son and his girlfriend. "Cookies are almost ready. Would you want some?"

Kelsey shook her head. "No, thank you. But they smell delicious."

Tristan turned to his father who had taken a seat at the small round table across the room. A warm mug of steaming tea sat in front of him. "Dad, can I borrow your truck? I need to take Kelsey home."

"No can do, the truck's got a flat," Tyler said. He took a sip from his drink and shared a quick look with Rylee. "You could stay here if you'd like."

"Really?" Kelsey said, perking up. "I mean, I'd have to ask my parents." She grabbed her cell phone out of her pocket and left the room. The phone only rang two times before her mother, Claire answered.

"Hey mom."

"Kelsey, are you on your way home?" her mother asked, voice cutting in and out through the line. "It's getting really bad out there."

"No, actually. Tristan's car won't make it through this and his dad's truck has a flat," Bethany said, running a hand through her blonde hair. Though she had spent many nights with her boyfriend, neither her mom nor Tristan's parents knew of it. It had been in secret. Now she had to ask. She took a deep breath. "I don't think I'll make it home tonight. Can I stay here?"

Her mother was quiet for a few moments. "Let me talk to your father."

Kelsey's stomach twisted nervously, feeling as if she were a little kid again waiting to get permission to have a snack before dinner. And sadly, she never did get that snack. On the other side of the line she could hear the soft voice of her mother calling for her dad. Aaron's voice was deeper but smooth as he answered her. When there was a slight shuffle, like the phone was being passed, Kelsey knew her dad was on the other side of the phone.

"Hi, daddy." Kelsey bit her lip and waited. Behind her, she could hear Rylee singing again. The smell of fresh baked cookies made her mouth water.

"Hi, honey." He paused as if second guessing himself. Kelsey held her breath. "Considering how bad the roads are you can stay there."

Just then, the door that separated the kitchen and living room opened and Tristan stepped through. Kelsey grinned at him and gave him a thumbs up. She had to cover her mouth so her dad wouldn't hear her laughter as Tristan threw his fist in the air. Trying to not sound too excited, Kelsey spoke into the phone.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Love you." Before she could hang up Aaron spoke again.

"You can stay but I want you in a seprate room, far from Tristan." He sounded firm, and if she could see his face she knew his blue eyes would be serious.

"Dad," Kelsey said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm serious, Kelsey. I was young once," Aaron said. "Now, I will pick you up in the morning. I love you."

"Love you, too." She clicked ended the call and turned to Tristan who stood feet from her, a grin on his face. She smiled back, nudging him as she walked by and into the kitchen.

Pogue was on his feet now, munching on a cookie. "So, what's the verdict?"

"I can stay but my dad made if very clear that I have to be in a room far from him," she said, jamming a finger in her boyfriend's direction. She laughed and grabbed his hand, linking their fingers together.

Rylee nodded her head, short brown hair falling out from behind her ear. "I'm not trying to be an un-cool mom but I agree with him. We'll set you up in the blue guest bedroom."

* * *

It had stopped snowing now but the chill was still there. Nearly an hour had passed since the cops and ambulance had arrived but Rome had only told Bethany his family's secrets ten minutes ago. She still said nothing. She looked at him as if studying him, her blue eyes darting from his eyes to his mouth, searching.

"Say something," Rome pleaded. "You're freaking me out."

Bethany blinked as if coming out of a trance. "I'm freaking _you_ out? I'm the one who's freaked out Rome! You're a…a-you have powers for God's sake!" she yelled, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Shh! Keep your voice down." Rome grabbed her arm and pulled her farther from the cops who were talking together in little huddle only yards from them. Though they had already talked to Rome and Bethany about the accident, they still wanted them to stick around just incase they had more questions. Thankfully, they had bought the story about them walking away with only the shakes and a few minor cuts.

When he was sure they were out of earshot, he let go and stepped in front of her. Her gaze was intent on him as if she were waiting for him to say it was all a joke. But he said nothing, he only waited for her to speak.

"You're not lying to me?"

Rome shook his head, face and eyes serious as he took her hands hesitantly. "I wouldn't lie about something like this," he said softly. His breath came out in white puff as he breathed in and out. "This is my life. If you don't want to be in it, I completely understand, I really do."

She continued to stare at him, and maybe he was imagining it but he thought he saw tears starting to fill her eyes. Tears fell down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around him and held him close. "Rome, if it weren't for your…powers," she stuttered over the word but kept going, "I might not be here right now."

Rome felt his heart harden in defense, waiting for it to come. The distance, the heart ache. "You don't owe me anything, Bethany."

"Shut up and let me finish," she said, holding onto his hands as he tried to pull them free. "I wouldn't have known what to do if you weren't here with me. Powers or not, I love you with all my heart."

He couldn't help the smile that came to his face. His heart softened as she leaned up and pressed her lips to his in an affectionate kiss.

"You know, you're taking this very well," Rome noted, keeping her tight in his arms.

Bethany laughed, the sound lifted the tension that was only there moments ago. "I must be in shock still." Her eyes widened suddenly as if though had suddenly crossed her mind. "Oh! It totally makes sense now! Every time I'd ask Kelsey about your family history she said it was just nonsense. Or that's what Tristan had told her. No wonder she didn't spill…"

"No," Rome said, louder than he meant to. "She doesn't know. Kelsey can't know, Bethany. No one can know." He glanced over his shoulder to make sure the cops were still out of earshot. His breath came out in shapeless puffs in the air. The ambulance had left nearly an hour and a half ago, taking Kyle along with it. The paramedics had said that he would be fine and from what they could tell, no permanent damage had been done.

The touch of Bethany's cold hand on his neck pulled his attention back to her. He met her eyes and couldn't help but smile. Instead of being freaked out that she was now in on his family's darkest secret, he was relieved. No more lying, no more hiding or worrying. Her reaction had been more than he had hoped for. She took it so well that he was actually waiting for the moment when she took off running in the other direction.

"Your secret is safe with me," she said softly. "It always will be."

If these words were coming out of anyone else's mouth, he'd be doubtful. But it was Bethany who was talking to him and he trusted her with his life.

* * *

"Gosh, pick a movie already!" Peyton laughed, sitting crossed legged on Quinn's couch. A bowl of popcorn sat in her lap. She watched him scan a finger along the row of movies set along the far wall of the living room.

Quinn looked over his shoulder and playfully glared at her as he grabbed a random movie and popped it into the DVD player before joining her. The lights had been already turned off, and in the dark, Peyton peeked sideways at her boyfriend. She giggled at finding him staring at her, his hazel eyes highlighted by the glow of the TV. "I love your laugh," he said, placing a hand on her thigh.

Peyton rolled her eyes and snorted in laughter. "Yeah, okay," she said sarcastically and turned her gaze back to the screen.

A few minutes of silence passed and she could still feel Quinn's eyes on her. "Stop staring at me, you creeper," she said, not meeting his gaze. His laughter curled around her, gaining her attention.

"I'm a creeper, huh?" He leaned closer, placing his lips to her neck then looked into her eyes. "How about a kiss for the creeper?"

"Nope." With a shake of her head she poked his nose. Then she deliberately scooped a handful of popcorn in her hand and shoved it in her mouth.

Quinn's eyes widened in mock hurt then narrowed playfully. "Come on, I want a kiss," he pouted and moved in closer, their shoulders brushing. Swallowing the mouthful of popcorn Peyton looked at him.

"Okay, you can have a kiss," she said but stood from the couch. "But you'll have to catch me first!" With that, she tore from the room and raced down the apartment hallway. Quinn was hot on her heels. She squealed in laughter as she jumped across his bed, landing near the dresser, feet thumping heavily on the floor.

"Stop jumping!" Quinn suddenly said, bringing a finger to his mouth. With the other hand he motioned to the floor. "My neighbors below will complain."

Peyton froze where she stood, eyes on the floor. But Quinn's laughter had her looking up just in time to see him leap over the bed. She shouted in surprise as Quinn's arms wrapped around her waist, holding her in place.

"Cheater!" Peyton giggled within his embrace, her back pressed to his chest.

Quinn kissed her temple and chuckled. "First I'm a creeper, now I'm a cheater? I just can't win can I?"

She twisted to face him, eyes sparkling as she met his gaze. She couldn't help but think of how handsome he looked, with his unruly hair and warm hazel eyes. Going up on her tiptoes, Peyton placed her lips on his and closed her eyes, loving the way his mouth melded with hers. His arms tightened around her, pulling her tight to his body. Peyton's stomach warmed pleasantly.

When they parted, Quinn's chest rose and fell as he tried to catch his breath. Peyton grinned and ran her hands, palm down up his chest then around his neck. Her fingers played with the thick hair at the base of his head. "I'd say that was a win, don't you?"

As a response, Quinn ran a hand gently down the side of her face and brought her lips to his again. She could feel the passion, hunger and want he had for her.

"Quinn…" Peyton said, pulling away slightly.

"I'm sorry," he answered with a small shake of his head. "I know…I need to calm down." He stepped back but Peyton followed his movement so she was still standing right in front of him, inches apart from each other.

"No, it's okay." Peyton gave a small, nervous smile as she sat down on the bed. Almost shyly she beckoned him to sit next to her. Quinn crawled next to her, his eyes never leaving hers. Her heart sputtered in her chest as he gently kissed her lips.

"Are you sure?"

Peyton bite her lip and nodded. Slowly, Quinn leaned into her as if giving her enough time to change her mind if she wanted to. But she had made up her mind, so she grabbed the back of his neck and their lips met. She scooted until she was laying down with Quinn leaning over her. Peyton reached for the bottom of his shirt and broke apart for only long enough to pull both of their shirts over their heads.

She was lost in the moment, in the feel of Quinn's hands against the bare skin of her stomach. A thought crossed her mind suddenly. _I love him_. And she did, though she had never mentioned it to him.

"Quinn," she said as his lips moved from her mouth to her neck. He stopped abruptly.

"Do you want to stop?" he asked. The concern in his eyes and voice made Peyton all the more sure of her feelings. She grinned at him and brushed his hair off his forehead.

"No," she said with a slight laugh. "I just wanted to say that I- that I love you."

A slow smile spread across his face, making him even more handsome. "Good," he said. "Because I feel the same way about you."

"Say it." Peyton's words were soft as she looked up at him.

Quinn's expression became serious as he gazed back. "I'm in love with you."

Then his lips were on hers.. His fingers traced a line down her stomach and to the top of her pants. Peyton's heart jumped into an excited anticipation as he successfully unbuttoned her jeans.

Just then, a voice popped into her head, a voice that was not her own. Through the Connection she could hear Rae's voice, sounding urgent. _Peyton, where are you?_

_I'm a little busy here_, she replied in annoyance.

_Rome and Bethany got into an accident._

Peyton jerked away from Quinn and bolted upright. She gasped. "We have to go. Now."

Looking confused, Quinn watched Peyton scrambled from the bed and pull her shirt back on frantically. "What's going on?"

"Bethany and Rome got into an accident. We have to go," she said, buttoning her jeans. "Shit, where are my shoes?"

Quinn's shirt was on in seconds. "What happened?"

"I don't know!" she said. "I don't know." Just as she reached for the Connection to ask, Rae's voice popped into her head again.

_They are okay but your mom wants you home. She tried to call, _she said. As she spoke Peyton had found her shoes and pulled them on in a hurry. Quinn stood ready and waiting by the door, Peyton's keys in hand. She gave a sigh of relief that Rome and Bethany were okay but something was obviously going on since her mother wanted her home.

"I don't know what happened but Rae says they're fine," Peyton said. "I still have to go home."

Quinn nodded, completely understanding. "Thank God they're okay."

Together, with their jackets on, they walked out the door and down the single flight of stairs. Once in the car and the heat turned on, Peyton glanced at her boyfriend. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Quinn asked. "For what?"

"About tonight," she said, purposely keeping her gaze fixed on the road before her. "About what was going to happen."

Quinn grabbed her right hand that was not on the steering wheel and intertwined their fingers. "To be continued?"

Peyton took her gaze off the road for a moment to meet his gaze and grinned almost sheepishly. "Definitely."


	26. Chapter 26

Hello all! I hope everyone is doing well! Summertime is almost here! Whoo hoo! Enjoy.

Thank you _**Angel of the Night Watchers**_, **_Loverofgoodstories27_**, **Lilly**, and **_Luli Cullen_** for their lovely reviews. Keep it up! ; )

* * *

Chapter 26

Christmas Time

After nearly an hour of cautious driving, Peyton walked up the front steps of the Garwin Mansion and quickly stepped over the threshold, not even bothering to knock. Inside it was warm but silent, Peyton strained her ears for any sound. Quinn stepped in behind her and closed the door then was at her side.

"Where is everybody?"

Peyton shrugged her shoulders and dusted off the clump of snowflakes that had collected on her cream wool coat. No light came from any of the surrounding rooms. "Rae?" she called into the darkness.

Seconds later, a light at the top of the stairs switched on and Rae appeared, her head the only thing visible over the wooden banister. "Shh, everyone's sleeping. What are you doing here?"

"I went home but my mom wasn't there," Peyton said. "I thought you told me she wanted me home. Where is she?"

"I don't know. Maybe they're still over at the Simms'." Rae gave a yawn and rested her elbows on the banister.

Slightly annoyed, Peyton crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against Quinn who wrapped his arms around her waist. A blush colored her cheeks at remembering his fingers playing against the bare skin of her stomach.

Rae's eyebrows rose a little as she took a closer look at her best friend and Quinn, both looked slightly disheveled. A slow smirk tilted Rae's pink lips. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt something when I called?"

The blush on Peyton's cheeks grew to a color near to red but she deflected the comment by asking another question. "Care to tell me what happened with Rome and Bethany?"

Rae's amused expression faded from her face. She pressed a finger to her lips, telling them to be quiet then waved at the two to follow her.

Quinn grabbed Peyton's hand and ascended the stairs, footsteps muffled by the thick carpet. Rae ushered them into her room, closed the door quietly and jumped right into the story.

"Rome had to tell Bethany about us and the Covenant," she began as Peyton took a seat on the bed. Rae told them about the car wreck and how Rome teleported himself and Bethany from the car before the collision had happened, how Rome pulled the guy from the other car. She told them everything that Rome had told her.

Peyton rubbed her forehead as Rae finished. "So the cops believed him? That they just walked away from a car wreck unharmed?"

Rae nodded. "Surprisingly, yes. But then again, Rome is charming so I don't blame them for believing him."

"Seems like your Covenant is growing," Quinn commented. "And not to the right people. I mean, magical people." He raised his fingers and air quoted the last two words.

Peyton smiled and placed her hand on Quinn's knee. "You and Bethany are the right people. You're going to be in my life, Quinn." She stared at her boyfriend, longing to be in his arms again, the way they were only an hour ago. Her fingertips itched to touch the bare skin of his well muscled chest and torso. By the look in his eyes she knew he felt the same way.

Rae cleared her throat, bringing the attention back to herself. Both Quinn and Peyton turned to her sheepishly. With a small smirk, Rae spoke again. "Rome obviously feels the same way about Bethany because he could have told her any other story. She thought she had passed out or something."

"Well if he could have lied then why didn't he?" Peyton asked.

"Because he loves her," Rae said simply. "He wants Bethany in his life. If you were in his shoes, would you lie?"

Peyton bit her lip and thought about it but she didn't have to think very long. She shook her head. "No, I wouldn't have lied." She paused. "So now she knows. That's weird. At least she took it well."

The blonde laughed and pulled her hair to one side, braiding it over her shoulder. "Rome said it was strange just how well she actually took it. But then again, your man took it."

"I guess I did," he laughed. Next to him Peyton gave a loud yawn and laid her head upon his shoulder.

"I'm tired," she announced.

"Crash here," Rae said, falling onto her bed face-first.

"What about me?" Quinn asked with a laugh as the two girls cuddled closer together and closed their eyes.

"There's a guest bedroom down the hall," Rae said, waving toward her door and the rooms beyond. "Seriously, I'm surprised you made it here alive in this snowy mess."

Peyton squinted her eyes open just as Rae's finger poked her nose. Finding the telepathic connection the two shared, Peyton said, _Do you really care if we stay?_

_Not at all, _Rae answered_. Just don't be getting naked. My parents are just down the hall._

Being caught of guard, Peyton laughed out loud causing Quinn to jump in confusion. The two girls were thrown into a fit of giggles muffled by their hands. With a smile, Quinn shook his head in amusement.

"You girls are strange," he said.

"Duh." The two girls said in unison. Peyton rolled over top of Rae, kissed her head in goodnight and walked to the door. Peyton switched off the lights in Rae's room. But before the door closed behind her and Quinn, Rae's voice floated to them.

"Nighty night, you two."

* * *

The next evening the Garwin's house was filled with laughter. Outside, the snow had stopped falling, leaving behind a Winter Wonderland. The only thing that interrupted the inches of snow was the break in the roads that had been cleared earlier that morning.

The black marble of the kitchen counters were covered with empty dishes, pots and pans all scraped clean of food. The sink was full of soapy water, and the sleeves of Paige's red sweater were rolled up to her elbows.

Silently, the door behind her opened up. "Need any help?"

Caught off guard, Paige jumped which resulted in dirty dish water to splash her front. She stepped backward and looked over her shoulder to see who the culprit of her mishap was. Rome smiled in apology as made his way to her then leaned against the counter.

"Sorry," he said with an amused laugh.

"You know, it'd be nice sometimes to have River's hearing." Paige took a towel and wiped at her shirt. "She never seems to get snuck up on."

"Would you like some help?" he asked, reaching for a dish in the sink.

His mother swatted his hand away and said, "No, thank you. But you can keep me company, if you'd like."

With her shirt as dry as she could get it at that moment, Paige turned back to the dishes. Rome sat in a chair at the island and leaned on the counter.

Nearly five minutes of silence passed before Rome spoke. "Are you mad at me?"

Paige turned to her son in surprise but she didn't need to ask what he was talking about. The blue eyes that he'd inherited from his father were intent on her, full of concern. She wanted to smile, secretly happy that her 17- year old son was worried whether or not his mother was anger with him. But the situation didn't call for smiles; Rome was serious.

"No, honey, I'm not mad. You did a good thing by telling her." What she said was partly true. It was a good thing to tell Bethany about the Covenant's secret after the car accident, and she knew that Bethany would be keep it but his feelings for the young blonde worried her. He had told her the secret because he loved her, but was the love a lasting thing? He was so young.

Seeming to somehow know his mother's thoughts, Rome stood from his chair. "I love her, mom," he said. "I want to be with her."

Not being able to stop, Paige said, "Are you sure? You're so young!"

Rome's eyes narrowed against his will. "You were only a year older than me when you and dad got together. Look where you are now, married, happy and _still_ in love." He took a breath to stop his frustration. "When you know, you know. That's what dad's told me."

Paige knew she was being silly, that it was a little too late to worry for her son's heart and the secrets of the Covenant, but being a mother she felt as if she had to speak her mind. "But it's only been a few months. You're father and I knew each other for years before."

"But you didn't get along," Rome countered quickly. "And dad said Pogue fell for Blake in one night." He stood in front of her now, towering over her small frame.

Paige thought back on that night, the first time she had introduced her friends to the Sons all those years ago, and remembered just how interested Pogue had been in Blake. He wasn't the type to fall too quickly, but she saw it in his eyes that he had fallen for Blake nearly immediately. Love at first sight.

Maybe Rome was right. Time nor age hinders love if you find the right person. With a sigh, Paige wrapped her arms around her son. Rome reacted, his own arms hugging his mother back affectionately.

"So you really do love her?" Paige asked, looking up at her son. He smiled and nodded.

"I really do. I don't see myself without her, and she feels the same way." Paige stepped out of her son's arms. "I wouldn't have told her about the Covenant if I wasn't completely sure."

"You know, you're just like your father," Paige said, smiling.

"I hear that a lot, Uncle Caleb says it's scary how much I look like him," Rome laughed, returning to his seat.

Paige couldn't deny that. "That's true," she said. "But not what I meant. You look like your father, yes, but you've got his heart too."

Rome raised an eyebrow curiously. "How do you mean?"

"You're more sensitive than you let people know. You're father wears his heart on his sleeve, he's just really good at hiding it. You know, he cried when I told him I was pregnant," Paige said with a smile. "And when he held you and your sister for the first time." Reid's voice had her head jerking toward the sound as he called for her. She glanced at Rome saying, "Don't tell him I told you that," before setting a plate in the dishwasher.

Rome laughed and pressed a finger to his lips just as Reid walked into the kitchen. "Need company?" he asked.

With a smile on her lips, Paige shook her head. "A little too late, Mr. Garwin. Your son beat you to it." She placed a kiss on his lips when he stood in front of her.

"And that's my cue to leave," Rome laughed.

An hour later, the Simms', Parry, and Danvers' families spread themselves around the Garwin living room.

"Presents!" Rae squealed excitedly. She sat on the couch with Cameron, her hand interlocked with Cameron's and looked up at him as if he were the only guy in the world. Rome felt the protective brother part of him start to kick in but he pushed it back easily. If there was one guy who would try his everything to keep his sister's heart safe it would be Cameron Danvers.

"Alright, who wants to play Santa?" River asked, holding up a red and white Santa hat.

"I was it last year," Tyler said. "I volunteer Caleb. All those in favor, raise your hand."

With loud laughs, everyone but Caleb raised their hands. Caleb grabbed the hat, shoved it on his head and walked toward the Christmas tree. Unlike, Tyler and Rylee's tree, the Garwin's was draped in colorful lights and ornaments. Dozens of presents were piled underneath it. Caleb grabbed one and held it up.

"First present of the night goes to Miss Peyton Parry!"

Peyton leapt up, did a little dance and snatched the present from Caleb. Caleb picked up another present and handed it to Cameron.

* * *

After all the presents were opened and the mess of wrapping paper cleaned, Peyton led her friends into her room where Tristan collapsed onto the couch that rested against the far wall. In good spirits, Rome and Cameron stumbled into the room, pushing and shoving each other, their obnoxious laughter causing Peyton to join in. Rae brought up the rear and jumped onto the full, welcoming bed.

"Do boys ever outgrow wrestling?" Rae asked, head on the large pile of red pillows. Peyton pursed her lips and gave a thoughtful look.

"Nope," she replied. Cameron gave one last shove before joining Rae on the bed and gathering her in his arms. The gesture made Peyton long for Quinn, who had left for Boston earlier that afternoon to spend the holiday with his family. She and her boyfriend had yet to trade presents and to be honest, she was glad. Quinn was one of the hardest people Peyton has ever bought for. But looking at the two love birds an idea came to mind.

_Rae, I know what I'm getting Quinn for Christmas_, Peyton said, using the telepathic connection she shared with her best friend.

Without looking away from Cameron, Rae asked, _what?_

Peyton grinned and fell onto the couch with Rome and Tristan who were debating on what Christmas movie to watch, The Grinch or The Santa Claus. She made sure she held Rae's gaze when she answered.

_His present will be me._

Rae's eyes widened slightly but she smiled and sent a wink in her best friend's direction. _You little slut._

_Takes one to know one, _Peyton countered back playfully.

"Ha!" Rae said, laughing out loud. Cameron looked at his girlfriend in confusion then followed her gaze to Peyton. He huffed.

"I hate when you two use your telepathy," he said.

Tristan, who had chosen The Grinch to watch, popped the movie in and went back to the couch. He put his arm around Peyton, musing her dark hair. "I agree," Tristan said. "You guys can say anything about anyone and know one would ever know but you two."

Rome snorted in laughter. "That's kind of the point of telepathy, Baby boy."

Tristan leaned back into the plush cushion. "Whatever, Garwin." Peyton rested her legs on Tristan's lap and grabbed her phone. As she settled down comfortably to watch the movie she felt her phone vibrate in her sweater pocket. Grabbing it, she saw she had a text from Quinn.

_I miss you,_ it read.

Peyton's grin was large as she typed in the words, _I miss you more. When you get back, let's trade presents. You're gonna LOVE yours. ; )_

In a few days Quinn would be coming back to Ipswich. Excitement and nerves filled Peyton just at the thought of being with her boyfriend in such an intimate way. Though she wasn't a virgin, she had only been with one guy, and that guy was her age. Quinn was out of college and probably way more experienced. Peyton bit her lip, feeling anxious. What if she did something wrong? A thousand worries and second thought raced through her mind as her phone vibrated again, signaling Quinn had replied.

_All I want for Christmas is you. I love you._

All worries were wiped from her thoughts at Quinn's message. He loved her and everything would be perfect. Peyton closed her eyes, a smile on her lips and drifted into unconsciousness.


	27. Chapter 27

Here's the update my friends! Enjoy =)

Thanks for the Reviews **_Angel of the Night Watchers_**, **_Luli Cullen_**, _Lilly_ and **_sixthson_**!

* * *

Chapter 27

Present Exchange and Sneaky Boys

Two days later, Rae woke to the soft click of her bedroom door closing. Still pretending to be asleep she peeked one blue eye open to see Cameron Danvers walking quietly toward the bed. When he took a gentle seat next to her, Rae snaked out her hand from under the blankets and pulled him down with her.

"I thought you were sleeping," Cameron said, wrapping his arms around her small waist. She rolled over so that she was face to face with him and curled into his chest. "You're pretty," he added as he kissed her forehead.

Rae grinned as she gazed up at him, her heart skipped a beat. "And you're a liar," she laughed, poking his nose with her finger before kissing his lips. "What are you doing here?"

"Rome, Tristan and I are heading into town for a few things," he answered with a shrug. Rae lifted herself up, sitting cross legged with Cameron's arms still around her.

"A few things?" she asked, eyebrows raised. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she took in the innocent look her boyfriend was wearing. She crossed her arms over her chest. "What are you boys up to, Danvers?"

Cameron sat up too and pulled a strand of hair behind her ear, a smirk on his face. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

With a roll of her eyes, Rae jumped off the bed and walked to her closet. After pulling out a pair of jeans, a pink hooded sweatshirt and her Nike gym shoes, she turned to her boyfriend. "Well, whatever it is you three are doing, you better run along. Don't let me keep you."

A short laugh escaped him as Rae walked past him, heading toward the attached bathroom. He grabbed her wrist, stopping her from entering, then stood up. "Someone's a little snippy this morning," he said.

"No, I'm not," she snapped back, pulling free from his grasp. "I just don't like secrets."

"Says the girl who wanted to keep our whole relationship a secret at the beginning," Cameron said lightly. He followed Rae into the bathroom, where she lifted her shirt over her head, revealing her toned stomach and her black sports bra. Cameron bit his lip as she stepped around him to turn on the shower. "Please, don't tease me like that."

A smile tugged at Rae's lips, feeling her irritation slip. "Like what?" She reached up, standing on her tip toes and raked her fingers through his thick dark hair. Cameron's eyes closed without second thought, leaning into her touch. Her lips made a path up his jaw line, stopping just at the corner of his mouth. Cameron leaned in to kiss her but Rae pulled back, teasingly.

"Kiss me," Cameron said, centimeters from her lips.

Rae barely allowed her lips to touch his as she whispered, "I will, if you tell me what you're up to."

Cameron grabbed the back of her neck and their lips met. When they pulled apart, he took a small step backward, just far enough out to stand just outside the doorway of the bathroom. "Nice try, love. I'll call you later."

Rae frowned slightly as Cameron turned on his heels and strode from the room with a spring in his step.

* * *

"Do you have any idea what the guys are up to?" Peyton asked Rae as they stood in the kitchen later that day, looking for something to eat. "Quinn is with them, too, you know."

Rae shook her head. "Well, I have no idea," she said, thinking back on that morning when Cameron had kept the little fact to himself. She reached down and picked a piece of lint from her jeans and pursed her lips at the memory. Looking at her best friend, she let out a little laugh. "You think we should be scared?"

At that moment, Blake walked into the kitchen. "Look who I found," Peyton's mother said, stepping to the side to reveal Bethany Marcus, her once long blonde hair now cut in a bob at her chin.

"Oh, my god!" Rae said as she jumped down from the kitchen counter and embraced her friend. "Your hair looks amazing!"

Bethany looked from Rae to Peyton who grabbed her for a hug. "I didn't think you'd be back until later tonight," Peyton said with a smile. "You didn't drive all that way, did you?"

"No way," Bethany replied with a shake of her head. "My car got totaled in the wreck so I had to fly." The mention of the wreck that had happened from a few days ago had her biting her lip and averting her gaze to the floor. A short silence fell between them.

"You know I won't tell anyone about your Covenant, right?" Bethany asked, blue eyes sincere and honest. "I would never do that to you."

Rae grinned and wrapped her friend into a second hug. "We trust you."

"But some bad has come out of your little situation, Miss Bethany Marcus," Peyton said, a small smile on her lips. She lifted a finger pointed it at her blonde friend. "You're stuck with us for good now."

Bethany let out a loud, relieved laugh. "Shucks," she said, snapping her fingers. "It's too late to get out?"

"Yep." Peyton and Rae answered together.

Bethany snagged a bag of potato chips from the counter and settled down in a chair, getting comfortable. "Well, looks like I'm here for good."

The girls laughed and took seats around Bethany at the table by the window. Outside, snow still covered the ground, stealing away any green that was left behind from Fall. The pale winter light shown blindingly on the snow, causing it to sparkle like thousands of tiny diamonds.

"So, what are the guys up to?" Bethany asked, her eyebrows pulled together as she kicked her legs up into the empty chair. "I called Rome and he said he wouldn't be back until later. He sounded sneaky to me."

"Yeah, we were just discussing that before you arrived." Peyton leaned back into her chair and raised her hand to her chin in thought. "They are being extremely sneaky. Quinn won't even tell me what's going on."

At the mention of Quinn, Rae smirked knowingly. She leaned forward, resting her elbow on the table and glanced at Bethany. "Speaking of Quinn, aren't you giving him his present tonight?"

"Oh, you finally figured out what to get him?" Bethany asked, playing with her newly cut hair absentmindedly. "What is it?"

"Not _what_," Rae said with a giggle. "but _who_."

Bethany's mouth dropped open as she turned to Peyton with wide eyes. "Noooo. You're giving him you?"

Peyton felt her cheeks grow warm as she nodded her head, thankful that her mother had left the room after she led Bethany to them. "Yeah," she answered bashfully. "I'm kind of really nervous about it."

It felt good to admit it. Ever since she decided about it a few days ago, her nerves have been wired. Of course she was excited and anxious and she loved Quinn but she couldn't help the nervousness from settling right in along her other feelings.

"Don't be," Bethany said. "He loves you so much. I can see it when he looks at you."

Peyton's stomach did a pleasant flip. Wanting to change the subject from what was to happened that night, she stood up and grabbed a drink from the refrigerator. "Okay, enough about me. We need to figure out what our guys are up to."

"You'll find out soon enough."

At the sound of the deep voice, the girls spun around to see Rome, Cameron, Quinn and Tristan standing just inside the kitchen, all with smirks that hide a secret.

"I wanna know now," Rae pouted, jutting out her lip for extra effect. Bethany grinned and practically skipped toward her boyfriend, who embraced her with welcoming arms. She kissed him then said hello to the other boys.

"Your hair looks great," Rome said, letting his fingers slide through her silky hair. "You hungry? We could go grab a bite if you'd like. Who else is hungry?"

"I'd go but I promised Kelsey I'd eat lunch with her and her parents," Tristan said. He glanced over at the clock above the stove. "Shit, I'm gonna be late. I'll catch you later."

"I gotta get going to," Quinn said, kissing his girlfriend's cheek as he zipped up his leather coat. "My apartment is a mess and I've got to wrap your present still."

Peyton rolled her eyes but followed him from the kitchen with Rome, Bethany, Cameron and Rae. "You don't have to clean it. I've seen it messy dozens of times."

Quinn waited until the others were out of earshot before answering. "I know, but tonight's different. It's special." He grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before bringing it to his lips. "It's our first Christmas together."

Peyton bit her bottom lip to repress the giggle that was forming in her throat. The way he spoke held promise for a future. _'Our first Christmas'_ she repeated in her mind as she watched Quinn walk out the front door.

Suddenly, her father was next to her, as if he had appeared from thin air. Peyton jumped slightly but smiled in greeting.

"I know that look," Pogue said, looking down at his daughter with a loving smile.

"And what look is that?" Peyton asked, amused.

"The look of being in love."

Peyton blinked in surprise at his response but Pogue just continued to smile as he started to make his way past her. He stopped at the base of the staircase leading to the second floor and looked back at her. "I have to say that look is the scariest thing a father can see."

"Why?" Peyton asked.

"Because just like every father," he started with a shrug, "I thought I was always going to be the only man you'd ever love. You're my little girl."

Peyton rushed forward and threw her arms around Pogue, feeling as if she were a six again within his strong embrace. "In love or not, I'll always be your little girl."

"Even when you're grown up and married?"

"Even then."

* * *

Pogue watched his little girl as she jumped into the backseat Rome's car and wave as she drove off. He wiped at his eyes, thankful that his brothers weren't around to see this sappy moment. Peyton was growing up so fast, too fast for his liking and he couldn't do anything about it. The thought terrified him.

So with a shake of his head to clear his mind, Pogue jogged up the stairs and made his way toward his room. He found his wife laying down watching TV, her hair pulled into a high ponytail at the top of her head. After so many years of marriage the sight of her still took his breath away. He loved her more that ever as he stared at her with no makeup, wearing black yoga pants and a baggy yellow sweatshirt.

"You know, it's not polite to stare," Blake said without looking away from the screen.

Pogue chuckled as he crawled onto the bed and laid next to her, his head resting on her stomach. Automatically, she ran her fingers through his hair as she'd done so many times before.

"What if I was to say I wanted more kids."

Blake let out a single laugh. "I would say you were crazy, Mr. Parry."

Pogue up at his wife and found her looking back at him. "Why not? We could do it. We're more than financially stable for another baby."

Blake stared at her husband silently for a few long moments. "What's with the sudden urge for more kids? We've never talked about having another baby."

"Peyton's in love, Blake," Pogue said, with a sigh. "Our baby girl is in love."

"Whoa." Blake paused as she smoothed Pogue's hair back a few times. Her eyebrows pulled together in confusion. "What does Peyton being in love have to do with more kids?"

"I just-I…" He let out a frustrated sigh and buried his face into the comforter. "She's growing up too fast."

Looking at her husband now, she felt her heart melt into a puddle. "I know, honey but that's life," she said softly. "Our little girl is not so little anymore."

"I don't like it."

"Of course, you don't. You don't want to share your baby." Blake looked away thoughtfully before speaking again. "My dad didn't want to share me either, you know. He was a mess before he walked me down the aisle to you."

Pogue smiled at the memory of seeing Blake for the first time in her wedding gown as she was escorted by her father down the aisle. He had been so floored by how beautiful she looked that he hadn't noticed anyone else in the room except for her.

"I loved you at first sight," Pogue said with serious eyes. "I never believed in it until I met you." A slow grin spread across his handsome face as he trailed a finger down the length of his wife's leg. "Are you sure you don't want another little one running around? Maybe a mini-me?"

Blake laughed again. "I'm positive. Things would be thrown off with the Covenant. If we had another kid, they would grow up without another their age in the family. Peyton had Rae, Rome, Tristan and Cameron. And besides, Peyton is handful enough."

* * *

_Breathe, Breathe…_

Focusing on keeping her breathing even, Peyton made her way down the long hallway of Quinn's apartment building. She clutched her large black purse close to her body as she took the last step that put her in front of his door. She raised her fist and knocked twice then waited for her boyfriend of nearly 3 months to open the door. Only seconds later, Quinn stood before her dressed in a black long sleeved button up shirt and dark denim jeans. His golden blonde hair hung over his hazel eyes that were locked on Peyton as he stood to the side, allowing her in.

"Hey there," he greeted, giving her a soft kiss on the lips. She brushed past him, feeling her anticipation only grow as their hands touched. As she took off her jacket, his gaze took in the jeans that hugged her hips and the red sweater that accentuated her curves. "You look beautiful."

Peyton grinned at him as she followed Quinn into the living room. She let out a low whistle. "Wow," she said, looking around the spotless room. "I don't think I've ever seen your place this clean." She laughed and set her purse down on the couch after taking a seat. When she looked up, Quinn was gone.

"Quinn?"

Quinn stepped around the corner from the hallway, holding something that looked suspiciously like a wrapped present behind his back. Peyton broke into a grin and clapped her hands together excitedly. "Is that for me?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.

"No, it's from Rae. I was hoping you could give it to her for me." He let out a laugh as Peyton smacked him on the arm. "I'm kidding, dork. Of course it's for you." With an excited smile he handed her the present, carefully wrapped in gold and red paper. A shiny green bow rested on top.

Holding it up to eye level, Peyton wondered what was inside. Obviously not something big because it fit just in the palm of her hand. She peeked at Quinn from over the small box, he watched anxiously. "Open it," he said.

So Peyton did what she was told and tore at the paper, glancing up at Quinn as it fell to the floor. Once the wrapping was off she held a box, plain, black and shiny with no writing or marks. Lifting the lid of the box she gasped at the small ring inside.

"Is this…" Peyton's words faded from her mouth and Quinn reached forward and grabbed the single diamond ring from the box with shaky hands.

"It's a promise ring." He took her right hand and slide the white gold band on her ring finger. "I love you, Peyton. And this," he said, touching the ring gently, "is my promise to you, that one day I will ask for you to marry me."

Peyton's throat went tight with emotion as she looked up into Quinn's face. "You really want to marry me?"

"Yes, someday."

"I love you," she said before leaning forward and pressing her lips to his. Grinning broadly, she pulled back but only far enough so she was inches from his face. "Now, it's my turn to give you your present. But you have to close your eyes."

Immediately, Quinn covered his eyes like a little child. After making sure that he wasn't peeking, Peyton's eyes flashed with fire then bled black causing the lights to flicker out at her command and they were thrown into darkness. With a racing heart, Peyton stood from the couch and pulled off her sweater, leaving it on the floor at Quinn's feet. Down the hallway, she stopped and quietly pulled off her jeans. She suppressed a giggle as she walked blindly through the dark toward Quinn's room.

For the second time that night, her eyes changed colors, this time shifting to a glowing purple. The lamp that sat on the side table switched on, casting a soft glow on the surroundings. She lifted the white cami over her head and tossed it at the foot of the bed. Glancing in the mirror that hung on the wall next to her, she looked at her appearance. Wide green eyes, bright and full of excitement, her dark hair hung in waves over her shoulders, and the only thing she wore was a red lacy bra and matching panties. On her right hand, the promise ring sparkled in the dim light. She grinned at her reflection.

Taking a deep breath, she rubbed her sweaty hands on the only material left on her body and slowly walked barefoot back to her boyfriend who still sat patiently on the couch. Through the darkness, she reached out to her boyfriend.

"Don't peek," she said, whispering seductively in her ear. She thought she'd feel silly trying to act sexy but it came surprisingly easy to her as she ran a hand through his hair. She saw his lips quirk up slightly. "Now, count to ten them come find me."

As quietly as she could, Peyton raced back to the room and waited. Her heart hammered her chest and it felt as if the butterflies she felt fluttering around in her stomach were doing somersaults. When the ten seconds had passed she knew Quinn had found her sweater and was on his way down the hall.

She could hear his footsteps, and moments later Quinn stood in the doorway, holding her jeans and sweater. His mouth dropped open as Peyton walked up to him, any hint of nerves gone.

"You're speechless," Peyton said, stopping in front of him. "That's a good thing, right?"

Dropping her clothes, he reached out to her and ran a hand softly down her arm then wrapped around her bare waist. Pulling her flush against him, he brushed his lips against hers teasingly. "Definitely."

* * *

It was nearing eleven at night and Bethany, Kelsey and Rae debated on what to do. The boys were having their guys night, and Quinn and Peyton were trading presents.

"I wonder how Quinn likes his present from Peyton," Rae said aloud, a smirk on her face.

Kelsey laughed and wiggled her raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I bet it's the best present he's ever gotten."

Bethany rolled her eyes. "I don't like just sitting here while everyone else is having fun," she said, standing from the floor where she sat, she grabbed her purse. "We are going to do something, anything!"

A slow smile spread across Kelsey's face as she looked up at her blonde from then at Rae. "I say, it feels like a Nicky's night."

The two girls jumped up from where they sat and grabbed their jackets. "Go on downstairs, I'll just tell my parents where we are going." Rae turned right out of her room and headed for her parents bedroom. After knocking, she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Paige smiled at her daughter and pressed a finger to her lips then pointed at the spot next to her where Reid lay passed out. His chest rose and fell with each breath he took. "Where are you girls off to?" Paige asked in a whisper.

"Nicky's," Rae replied quietly.

"I can't believe that place is still so popular." Paige laughed and blew Rae a kiss. "You have fun and be careful."

"Will do," Rae said. "Love you." With that, Rae turned on her heels and walked from the room and found her two friends waiting at the base of the stairs.

"Time to have some fun," Kelsey said as she yanked open the door goofily and leapt down the stairs, landing just in front of her car.

Nearly fifteen minutes later, the girls pulled up to Nicky's. The gravel of the parking lot crunched under the cars tires, and as the girls parked, they could see that there were few spots left. "Busy, busy," Bethany said as she stepped out of the car and hugged her jacket tighter to her body.

Once inside, they were welcomed by blaring music and humid air. "I'll get us drinks," Kelsey called as she disappeared into the crowd.

"Let's grab a table," Bethany said in Rae's ear. The two winded their way past the pool tables where they spotted Alex Montgomery and his buddies, all who called out inappropriate things as they passed.

"Remind me again why you dated that tool?" Bethany asked.

Rae let out a bark of laughter and shook her head. "I plead temporary insanity."

Luckily they found a single table that sat close to the bar and settled in the chairs before it could be taken from them. Minutes later, Bethany appeared baring drinks.

"Look who I ran into at the bar." She jerked her head toward a handsome boy who stepped out from behind her.

"Well, hi Drew," Bethany greeted with a dazzling smile. She motioned to the chair next to her. "Why don't you join us?"

"Yeah, okay," Drew Caldwell said, taking a seat. His gaze went to Rae and leaned in closer. "Hey, Rae, how are you?"

"Great, actually," Rae replied. "Did you have a good Christmas?"

Drew smiled, his dark eyes looked around the bar. "It's was awesome. I took your advice, you know."

Rae's eyebrows pulled together in slight confusion. "Advice? What advice?"

"I asked out Emily Gregory." His smile was large but not cocky. It was one of the great qualities about him. He was confident without being arrogant about things. "We're kinda going out now."

"Aw, that's great!" Rae said, genuinely happy about the information. "She's such a sweetheart."

"Who's a sweetheart?" Kelsey asked in a loud voice, dropping into the conversation without care for an invitation. "Besides me, of course."

Rae rolled her eyes. "Emily Gregory."

Kelsey nodded in approval and looked over at Drew. "Emily Gregory, junior, top of her class. Very cute girl. Good job, Caldwell."

With a grin, Drew said, "Thanks. Well it was good to see you guys. I was actually on my way out when I ran into Kelsey ." He stood and hugged each girl goodbye. "Hope you guys have a great New Years."

"You, too." Bethany waved as she watched Drew vanish into the crowd. "He's so cute. Let's dance!"

Together, the three girls strutted toward the dance floor, joining the minority of the people were. Laughing and being silly, the night passed in a blissful state.

* * *

REVIEW!


	28. Chapter 28

I quickly want to thank _Luli Cullen_, _Angel of the Night Watchers_, and _Loverofgoodstories27_ for their Reviews! Okay people, let's keep up the reviewing! I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to at least reach the amount of reviews I got on Four by Four, which is 154 reveiws =). After this chapter there will be one, maybe (but not likely) two more. Please, review! Enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Chapter 28

Plans and Boredom 

It was the morning before New Year's Eve and Tristan sat in front of the fireplace with his legs crossed, checking off a list that was placed in front of him. Footsteps caught his attention and he quickly hid the single sheet of paper behind his back. Just as it was safely hidden, his mother walked into the room. She smiled down at her son who relaxed at the sight of her.

"How's the planning for your New Year's Bash coming along?" she asked, taking a seat on the couch across from him. Her short brown hair fell into her face and she pushed it behind her ear carelessly. As if she were a little girl, she started kicking her legs against the couch.

Tristan raised an eyebrow as he regarded his mother. "How did you know about that?"

Rylee leaned in closer and with a grin said, "I'm your mother, I know all."

"It's true," Tyler said, who had just walked into the room and was leaning against the door frame. "She does know all."

With a smile that nearly took up her face, Rylee got up from where she sat and joined her husband. He wrapped his arms around her and allowed her to lean into his embrace. She kissed his lips but pulled away when Tristan gave a obnoxious cough.

"Could you please not do that in front of me?" Tristan asked once he had their attention. "Parental PDA…"

Tyler let out a loud laugh. "I can't give your mother some affection in front of you? You kiss Kelsey in front of me."

"Yeah but we're young and in love," he answered with a smile. "You on the other hand…"

Now it was Rylee's turn to laugh as she crossed her arms over her chest and eyed her son. "What? Were you going to say 'old'?"

"Well-," he started but was cut off by the shrill ring of the doorbell. He jumped to his feet and rushed past his parents. "Saved by the bell."

Opening the door he found Cameron in the doorway. Rae was standing right behind him with her lips pursed together. Tristan glanced from his best friend to Rae then back again. "What's going on?" he asked suspiciously.

Cameron bit the inside of his cheek as he avoided Tristan's gaze. "She knows."

Tristan narrowed his eyes at the blonde then turned his glare on the dark haired boy. "Damn, Cameron! Now it's all ruined!" He looked back at Rae. "How'd you get it out of him?"

Rae crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a look of complete and utter satisfaction. "How do you think?"

"You little whore," he said, pointing his finger at her accusingly. "I hate woman and their power to manipulate men so easily with their bodies."

Rae let out a loud laugh, not at all offended by Tristan's insult as shook her blonde hair from her face. "Yeah, well it took a little persuasion but…" she ended with a smug shrug.

Shaking his head, Tristan stepped to the side, allowing the two in. As Cameron passed him, he punched his dark haired friend's shoulder and whispered, "Traitor."

When Tristan walked into the room, he didn't see his parents and was thankful that he no longer had to witness their PDA. He knew they were still in love after so many years of marriage but to watch them practically make out made him cringe.

"So," Rae said, making herself comfortable on the couch. "Is it formal attire or casual or a mix in between?"

The two boys shared a look that clearly told Rae she was talking to the wrong people. "Ugh, I need my girls here." She pulled out her cell phone, but only held it in her hands for less than a second before it was snatched from her. "Hey!" she said in protest, lunging after Tristan who dashed across the room. "Give that back!"

"No way," he said, holding her phone dangerously close to the flickering flames of the fire. "They don't find out until they arrive at the party. Do I make myself clear?"

"But, they need to know what to-," she let out a gasp as Tristan moved his hand closer to the hot flames that threatened to engulf her phone. "Okay! Okay! I won't tell them."

"Good." Tristan tossed the cell phone back to Rae who cradled it against her chest and glared at him. "So what do you know?"

Rae continued to scowl as she spoke. "That you two, Quinn and Rome are throwing us a party tomorrow night." She lifted her phone and looked pointedly at Cameron then Tristan. "I'm going to call Kelsey to come pick me up. You boys have planned it so far, so I won't stand in your way now."

Ten minutes after calling Kelsey, a honk sounded from outside the house so Rae stood and pulled her long hair into a messy ponytail. Before walking out of the room, she turned the boys. "I do have one small input," she said. "I want to dress up so the party has to be formal."

With that she left, and shortly after Cameron and Tristan could hear the car pull out of the driveway, it's tires rolling down the pavement. Cameron looked to Tristan to see him shaking his head in disbelief.

"I can't believe you told her," he said.

Cameron smirked and shrugged his shoulders, not worried that his girlfriend now knew their secret. He laughed as he plopped down on the couch and kicked his legs up on to the coffee table. "She was very persuasive."

* * *

Bethany threw herself down onto Rome's bed and gave an exasperated sigh. "I'm so bored," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Is it sad to say that I wish we were back in school? At least then I'd have something to do."

"Bite your tongue, woman," Rome replied with a laugh. Then his eyes widened as a thought crossed his mind. He grinned as he reached for Bethany, offering her his hand. "Come on."

Bethany's eyebrows pulled together as she took his hand and allowed him to pull her up. "Where are we going?" she asked as he led her from the room and down the stairs.

Rome said nothing as he grabbed his car keys from the small table that sat next to the front door and stepped out into the Winter air. The sun was just beginning to fade in the sky, sending an orange glow onto the ever present snow that blanketed the ground. He reached for his phone once inside the car and quickly sent a text message as Bethany climbed into the passenger side.

"Where are we going?" she repeated. When he didn't reply, she exhaled noisily and looked out the window. She sat up straighter in her seat suddenly recognizing the path they were taking. "I know I said I wished we were back in school but I was just speaking figuratively."

Fifteen minutes later they were in the deserted parking lot of Spenser Academy. All was quiet aside from the strong wind blowing outside of the car. Just as Bethany opened the door, two other cars pulled up.

"Thought we'd have a little fun," Rome said, answering her questioning look. He stepped from the car and greeted Cameron and Tristan who walked to the door without waiting for the girls. Bethany raised an eyebrow as Kelsey, Peyton and Rae approached her.

"Such gentlemen," Kelsey said with a sigh. "Waiting for us girls before walking. Oh, wait, they didn't do that."

Rae snorted in laughter as they headed toward the school where the boys were fidgeting with the locks on the doors. "Speaking of gentlemen," Rae started, "where's your boy, P?"

"Working," Peyton replied, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder. "He had to do a double-shift to make up for being off tomorrow."

"Aw, your first New Year's Eve together!" Bethany said, clapping her hands together gleefully. She stopped unexpectedly causing Kelsey, who was walking just behind her, to nearly run into her. "And it's my first New Year's Eve with Rome, too!" Her hand gripped Rae's arm painfully. "And yours and Cameron's!"

Bethany dashed away from them with a jump in her step. Kelsey shook her head as she watched her bouncing blonde friend leap into Rome's arms who had turned around just in time to catch her. "Are we breaking in?" she asked as she pulled her jacket tighter.

"Yes," the boys answered together as Tristan placed a hand over the lock, palm flat. He moved his body so it was blocked from view. Seconds later, there was a faint click and the door popped open. Tristan stood up with a satisfied look and strode into the building, not one bit worried about being caught.

"How did you do that?" Kelsey asked, jogging to catch up with him. Glancing back at Cameron, he reached into his pocket and lifted his hand to eye-level. In his hand he held a single hair pin.

"Child's play," he said, laughing. Turning left, he followed Rome down the long hallway where classroom doors stood closed, the rooms beyond them dark and silent. The groups footsteps echoed off the walls as Rae and Peyton took off at a run, giggling like mad as they raced away, Cameron close on their heels.

Bethany intertwined her fingers around Rome's as they fell to the back of the group. "I've never broke into school before," she said as the group rounded the corner up ahead. "I feel…"

"Like a delinquent?" Rome laughed. The thud of a door hitting a wall caused Bethany to jump; laughter and the sound of splashing reached them. "You'll get used it," he said as he took off at a jog, dragging his girlfriend along behind him. Half a minute later, they were inhaling the scent of chlorinated water.

Rome grinned as he let go of Bethany's hand and lifted his shirt over his head. "How's the water?" he asked Cameron who was already wading across the pool, his dark wet hair slicked back.

"Perfect," Cameron answered, just as Rae and Kelsey, both who were now in their bras and underwear, leapt into the water.

"Come on in!" Peyton called to Bethany who stood at the edge of the pool. All eyes were on her now as if waiting for her to strip down and jump in. She was hesitant though, she'd never been a trouble-maker or had broken the rules, and here she was, having just broken into school. Her lip was caught between her teeth as a small knot of anxiety of being caught settled in her stomach.

Rae swam to the edge and pulled herself halfway out of the water, leaning her elbows on the tiled floor. "We won't get caught, we've done this hundreds of times," she said with a confident smile. "Now get your ass in here before I come out there and pull you in myself."

Bethany laughed and felt her concern fade. In once swift moment, her shirt was at her feet and her jeans tossed to the side. As the others cheered, she jumped off the side and cut through the water.

When she emerged, she pushed her wet hair from her face and looked around. Peyton was hanging on the side of the pool with her eyes closed while the others swam away, giggling. Tristan motioned to her in a silent wave.

"Marco!" Peyont called, pushing off the wall, her eyes still closed.

"Polo!" Kelsey and Rae giggled together, their hands locked as they swam across the pool.

Being closest, Bethany dove underwater to avoid Peyton and swam under her feet. She grinned as her dark haired friend drifted above her and headed towards Cameron. Silently she floated up with a grin on her face.

"Marco!" Peyton called again, swimming blindly.

Bethany locked eyes with Rome as she answered, "Polo!" and raced toward her boyfriend who floated silently in the corner of the pool. "You're cheating," she whispered, now a foot from him.

Rome reached out and pulled her toward him with a smirk. "Am not," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm just being sneaky."

"Still cheating in my book," she answered against his lips. His hand snaked up around her neck and pulled her into a kiss which only lasted a few moments before they were interrupted.

"Get a room!" Rae called to them as she swam quickly by. She winked before diving underwater just as Peyton appeared out of no where and reached a hand out toward Bethany. Peyton opened her eyes and grinned.

"You're it," she said.

Bethany turned to Rome with an accusing gaze. "You distracted me," she said, pointing a finger in his face. As she closed her eyes a smile came to her lips. She could hear a splash as Rome dove under water.

"Marco!" she called.

* * *

The next afternoon, Rae stood in front of her closet, peering into the mess of clothes and shoes that scattered the floor. A rush of breath passed through her lips as she closed the door, ignoring the clutter for the time being and turned to face her room. Two outfits lay on her bed, a short light blue strapless dress and a long flowy halter gown the color of a pale pink.

"Planning on crashing Prom?"

Rae turned to see Peyton leaning against her door frame. She looked comfy with her dark hair up in a ponytail and thick fleece sweater, and as she strolled into her bare feet made no noise on the hard wood floor.

"Pretty," she said, running her fingers across the soft fabric of the two dresses.

"They're for tonight," Rae answered as she plopped down onto the bed. " Please tell me you've bought something to wear."

"Yes, of course." The promise ring on her hand glinted in the light as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you going to tell me what the plans are tonight? I don't like being kept in the dark, you know."

With a tightlipped smile, Rae ran her fingers across her lips as if locking them and tossed an imaginary key over her shoulder. She shook her head just as the sound of the front door slamming shut echoed up the stairs. Seconds later, Cameron walked into the room trailing behind Quinn.

"The prince charming awakens!" Peyton said as she skipped toward her boyfriend. "I thought you'd never wake up."

Quinn leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips. "Yeah, sorry for not answering your calls. Work was brutal last night so I needed a good sleep. Gotta be ready for tonight."

Peyton's eyes narrowed as she looked from Quinn to Cameron then to Rae. "Does everyone know what's going on tonight except me?"

"No. Kelsey and Bethany don't know either." Rae grinned as Peyton pursed her lips. "Well if you don't tell me what the plan is then you can't come to lunch with me and Quinn." She gave her a Ha-Ha sort of look as she grabbed Quinn's hand and went out the room, not bothering to say her goodbyes.

"Bye Quinn!" Rae called, a smile on her face. "Love you, P! See you later!" She looked at Cameron who had placed himself in the single plush chair that was wedged in the corner of the room. "Hi," she said, crawling onto his lap and curling to his chest. "I missed you."

"You missed me?" Cameron repeated with a laugh. "You just saw me last night."

"So I can't miss you? I love you, Cameron, of course I'm going to miss you even if I saw you last night." Rae jumped up and grinned. "Now, my boyfriend, you will help me pick a dress to wear tonight."

Cameron grimaced and glanced to the door as if debating on whether or not he had time to run for it. But as Rae lifted her shirt over her head, his gaze was drawn back to her where they stayed, glued. He watched as she unbuttoned her pants and slide them down her slim legs. She now stood in her black bra and matching cotton panties. "Which one should I try on first?" she asked, jutting out her hip, knowing full well the effect she was having on her boyfriend. "The blue one or the pink one?"

He was trying very hard to keep his composure but what he really wanted to do was leap up and….

Cameron shook his head, not wanting to cave first. Without taking his eyes off her, he said, "Pink."

Rae took the dress and slide into it, balancing on one foot as she did so. The dress fit her chest snuggly and cascaded down the rest of her body as if not wanting to touch her delicate form in fear of harming her. But she was far from delicate, Cameron reminded himself with a smirk. Rae spun in a circle and the fabric fanned out around her. He could tell she enjoyed being his personal model and he wasn't going to complain either.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"It's pretty," he said. "Need help out of it?"

"I can manage." She faced away from him as she stepped out of it. Cameron's gaze went directly to her butt, a feature that he admired very much. He was a little disheartened when it became hidden behind the bright fabric of the dress. But when she turned back to him, he straightened, unable to take his eyes from hers. "How's this one?"

Cameron looked her up and down, amazed at how the strapless dress was able to enhance all of the features of his beautiful girlfriend. The material hugged her tone body and stopped just at mid-thing, making her legs look long and lean. But what held his gaze most was how the color made her eyes pop.

"You look amazing," Cameron breathed, his voice coming out soft as he stood from the chair. Her bright blue gaze seemed to smile as the corner of her lips tilted up in satisfaction.

"So this is the dress then?" she asked.

His strong arms went around her and pulled her close. "Absolutely," he said as his hands found their way to the zipper on the back of the dress. "Now, are you sure you don't need any help out of this dress?"

Rae grinned as she captured his lips and quickly deepened the kiss. One of Cameron's hands slide down her side, reaching for the hem of the dress. His fingers ran teasingly over her skin. But as soon as the kiss started, she stepped away from him and grabbed her jeans and shirt she had tossed aside. "Actually as much as I'd like for this to continue, my parents are just down the hall…and besides, you have some preparing to do."

"You're a tease," he replied as he kissed her forehead. They gazed into each other's eye, blue versus brown. "I love you so much, Rae Patience Garwin, more than you'll ever know."

"I do know." She could see it in his eyes, those dark orbs that never failed to make her heart melt with just one look. "And I love you, Cameron Ryan Danvers." With her fingers she drew a heart in the air and goofily jumped into his arms. "You complete me!"

Laughing, Cameron tossed Rae onto her bed where she rolled, giggling. "You're so weird."

"One of the billion reasons you love me."


	29. Chapter 29

Oh, I'm so sorry about the long, long wait! You guys must be angry with me but please don't be! I've had a really hard time finding a way to end it. It's obviously taken me so long to find a way to end the story and be satisfied with it. I'm actually almost in tears right now because I don't want to end this story. Generation of Five is the sequel to Four by Four and both are my babies! I'm so thankful for all of those who have supported my stories and am so grateful for it!

So before you read the last chapter for Generation of five I want to thank **_Wildkat86_**, _Lilly_, **_Lui Cullen_**, **_babydoll223 99_**, and **_Angel of the Night Watchers_** for their review for Chapter 28. I also want to thank anyone who has reviewed, read, favorited any of the stories! Again, I'm so thankful for all the support!

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Chapter 29

To New Beginnings and Happy Endings

The night was colder than it had been in the past few months but Kelsey and Bethany had bundled themselves in thick winter coats, scarves and gloves. The vents in Kelsey's Mazda 3 blasted out hot air making the interior of the car toasty and warm.

"So remind me," Bethany started, flipping her glossy curled hair over her shoulder, "why do we need to dress up if it's just going to be us tonight?"

Kelsey gave her friend a sideways glance as she turned onto the street that would take her to Tristan's house. "Who cares if it's just us? It's New Years Eve and the occasion itself calls for dressing up!"

Bethany opened her mouth to reply but as they rounded the small curve in the street and the Simms' manor came into view, words left her. Both girls jaws dropped in shock.

The entire front yard and side streets were covered by dozens and dozens of cars. Immediately, Kelsey spotted Cameron's Mustang, Tristan's Eclipse, and Peyton's Jeep Cherokee, all looking as if they belonged in a showroom of an expensive car dealership. Through the windows of the house, hundreds of people were smiling and dancing to music Kelsey and Bethany couldn't hear.

"What the hell…?" Kelsey said as she pulled the car to a stop just behind Tristan's car in the driveway. "What's going on?" She looked over at Bethany who was grinning from ear to ear, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Those sly little bastards!" she said with a laugh. She pointed a perfectly polished finger toward the house and met her best friend's gaze. "This is why they've been so secretive! We're having a party, Kels!" Clapping her hands, she opened the car door and jumped out of the car.

After locking the car, Kelsey followed. The bloom of excitement budded in her stomach as the front door opened and Tristan appeared in the doorway, his dark hair hanging in his eyes.

"Surprise," he said with a wide smile. Inside, the music blared and the sound of what seemed to be a hundred voices assaulted their ears.

"Tristan Reece Simms," Kelsey said, nearly having to shout to be heard. "A party? Really?"

"Yes, really." His gaze flicked to Bethany then back. "You like?"

Kelsey nodded her head. "I love. I can't believe you actually pulled this off without me finding out. Kudos to you." She stood on her tiptoes to kiss his lips when Bethany shrugged out of her jacket. Smoothing out her strapless gold dress so that it fell to just above her knees, she eyed the couple and cleared her throat.

"Speaking of boyfriends, where's mine?" Bethany asked as Tristan helped Kelsey from her own jacket. Her friend's dress was a pink silk halter. The color made Kelsey's skin glow, and unlike Bethany's, her dress was short, falling just at mid-thigh. "I need to thank him properly for throwing this party."

"Please," Kelsey said with a grin. "At least wait until after midnight. You can't miss your own party."

Tristan rolled his eyes and grabbed his girlfriend's hand before leading the two giggling girls into the living room just down the hall. As soon as they stepped in the room they were greeted with waves and smiles from their fellow schoolmates. With a small scream of delight, Bethany spotted Rome across the room and dashed over to him.

"You want a drink, beautiful?" Tristan said in her hear, his breath sending pleasant chills over her body. She met his gaze and was amazed that it never failed for her heart to leap at the very sight of him. Just the touch of his hand on her skin caused her to become giddy and her insides to warm. Instead of pulling him up the stairs to his bedroom like she wanted to so badly to do, she nodded.

As he pushed through the crowd to the kitchen a pair of hands grabbed her arm. She turned to see Rae and Peyton, both looking gorgeous. Rae wore a light blue dress, the color making her eyes stand out like sapphires. Peyton took the opposite approach from color. Her dress was black, flowy with a thin single strap over one shoulder. Her dark hair was down and fell straight past her shoulders.

"Look at you, you look fantastic!" Rae said as she greeted her friend with a hug. "Can you believe this turn out? Who would have thought that so many people would have shown up?"

Kelsey scoffed. "You think that nobody would show up to a party that the Sons and Daughters of Ipswich threw? Yeah right, Rae." She laughed. "It would have been nice knowing about it ahead of time though," she said, giving her blonde friend an accusing stare. "How'd you find out?"

"She used her body to get it out of Cameron," Peyton replied for Rae. She waved at a group of smiling sophomore boys walking by. "She's a little slut." The boys eyes widened and went to Rae who laughed and shook her head.

"No, I'm not," she said with a shooing motion. "There's a few freshman girls out back who look a little lonely. Go find them." Rae grinned as she turned back to Peyton and Kelsey who were both snickering. "Ha, ha. You're a funny girl."

"Of course I am," Peyton said then disappeared into the crowd with a smile. She was off to find Quinn who was sure to be surrounded by a large group of fawning girls. Everyone had gone nuts when they heard a Daughter of Ipswich was dating an older man. Since then, Quinn had been somewhat of a celebrity to the students of Ipswich, especially among the girls. And as she neared the kitchen she spotted Quinn just as she thought, in the middle of group of obnoxious giggling girls.

When he looked up, he was relieved to see her. She heard him excuse himself before making his way to her. "Look at you, shall I let you get back to your fans?" Peyton said as Quinn stood before her.

"Where'd you run off to? I thought you'd left me to the wolves."

"Bethany and Kelsey just got here so I wanted to say hi." She looked closer at him, seemingly for the first time that night and her heart stuttered within her chest. She had never seen a more handsome man; with his warm hazel eyes framed by long thick eyelashes and his breathtaking smile. His light brown colored hair that never failed to fall into his eyes and tall, muscular frame just finished the whole package. And now, as she met his gaze, she felt her insides go warm.

"I know what you're thinking," Quinn said with a cocky smirk. "You want to rip my clothes off."

Peyton was too caught off guard at his remark to be embarrassed, instead she let out a loud laugh. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Honey."

Quinn looked offended as he followed Peyton outside where several large pits of fire burned among the yard, the flames sending warmth into the late December night. Being in nothing less than a strapless dress, the cold should have bothered her, but as she stepped out onto the deck, the chill pricking at her skin felt amazing. Maybe it was the fire that sat to her left or the alcohol that warmed her. Either way she knew it was nothing compared to the warmth she got from Quinn's fingertips grazing her bare shoulder.

She turned to him and saw it. The longing and passion in his eyes, the love he felt for her that she knew reflected in her own eyes. Suddenly, his eyes went serious. "Can we talk, alone?"

"Yeah," she replied then led him back through the house and to the locked door of the basement. Placing her hand on the knob, she closed her eyes and within a second, there was a click and the door swung open.

The basement was completely finished; the floors were oak wood and the furniture was plush and welcoming. A bar sat in the corner with a cabinet stocked full with liquor that was under heavy lock and key. Not that Peyton or one of the others would have trouble getting into it if they really wanted to.

She turned to Quinn who had yet to speak. His silence was making her uneasy, as was the distance he had placed between them.

"Everything okay?" she asked after a few more moments had gone by. Her voice sounded deafening loud in the emptiness of the basement.

"No," he answered quietly. When he raised his eyes to meet hers they were troubled, almost desperate. "How can you love me? After all I did to you, how can you possibly still want to be with me?"

Peyton blinked in confusion. She thought they had dealt with this, that they'd agreed that the past was in the past and whatever involvement he had had with Chase and her kidnapping was to be forgotten. "What's making you bring this up again?" she questioned slowly. "I thought we decided to not talk about it."

Quinn let out a frustrated sigh and gripped at his hair. "It's hard not to think about it, Peyton. I've lied to your friends, your family…how can you want to be with a liar?"

"You've lied because I told you to." Peyton answered. "I don't want them to know that you worked for Chase or had anything to do with him. That will just cause unnecessary drama if we did tell them. It's all over. Chase is dead, I killed him. Telling the others would be pointless, don't you think?"

He was silent now. Because he was thinking over her words or just had nothing to say, she didn't know. "I love you," she continued. "I'm in love with you. You lied because I wanted you to." She went to him then and was relieved that he didn't move away from her. "I don't know what brought this up but stop it. You're scaring me. If you don't want to be with me than just say it."

His hands went to her face where they rested on her cheeks. "Of course I want to be with you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you if you'll have me. I just wanted to make sure you wanted to be with me." He brushed a stray hair from her face. "I'm sorry if I scared you, I've just been thinking too much, I guess. I just wish I could forget what I've done."

Peyton closed the remaining space between them so their bodies touched from head to toe. "I want to forget a lot of things, too, but unfortunately we can't. This will be with us for the rest of our lives. Chase's death will always be on my hands but I don't care because he, in a weird way, brought you into my life."

The pace of their breathing was the same as they stood facing each other, foreheads touching. Their chests rose and fell at the same moments with every breath they took. You'd never see two people so much in sync, Rae had once said to her. "Are you still thinking about it?"

"No," he replied, voice deep. "I'm thinking about you and how much I love you." His lips brushed over hers though not teasingly before capturing them. Peyton felt her knees go weak and was thankful that his strong arms were now around her waist to hold her up. Her arms were around his shoulders, her fingertips playing with the hair at the base of his neck. He let out a low groan as she pulled him closer.

"Is the door locked?" he asked, trailing kisses down her neck.

Fire flashed from the center of her eyes before bleeding black entirely. There was a soft click then the lights dimmed. Peyton could feel Quinn grin against her skin.

* * *

With a drink in one hand and Bethany's hand in the other, Rome gazed around at the hundreds of people that had showed up to the New Years Bash that was sure to be the talk of the school for the next semester. Everyone from Spenser Academy seemed to be there, even the triplets, Kacy, Lacy and Tracy who were known enemies of Rae and Peyton. Though they appeared to have put their disagreements in the past for the night because they certainly wouldn't be there if some sort of temporary understanding hadn't be given.

Rome's blue eyes fell onto Alex Montgomery who he himself had plenty of disagreements with in the past year. He never liked the guy, even when his sister had dated him. Now, his hatred for his sister's ex was purely based on the fact that Alex was an arrogant asshole. Rome was thankful that he no longer had to worry about Rae feelings or her getting hurt, she was with Cameron now. As weird as it should be, he found great joy in his best friend and sister's relationship. From the time they were young, something had always been different between the two whether Cameron or Rae realized it at the time or not. Rome sure had noticed though he never spoke of it.

"Rome Parker Garwin!"

Rome froze. His full name was only used when he had done something wrong. His mind whirled over what on Earth he could have possibly done to make his sister use his entire name. But when he turned to her, to his relief, her blue eyes didn't hold any anger. Rae stood with a smile on her face, a drink in her hand and blonde hair wild from hours of dancing.

"What?" he asked, a little hesitantly.

"Have I told you lately that you're the best brother ever?" she said, throwing her free arm over his shoulder in a sloppy hug. "This party is amazing."

Beside him, Bethany let out a laugh and ran her fingers through her friend's hair. Once satisfied with it's appearance she leaned in toward Rae. "Are you drunk?"

"No!" she yelled back then grabbed at her head. "Okay, maybe a little. But hey! It's a party to celebrate the end of a year!"

Rome shook his head at his twin sister in amusement. "You're so drunk. Where's Cameron?"

Rae shrugged and sipped at her drink, bouncing to the music that blared through the speakers the DJ had brought. Her blue eyed gaze, which was wandering around the room, suddenly stopped. A large grin spread across her face as she pushed past her brother and Bethany. Rome watched her go and saw Cameron on the other side of the room with a smile that matched Rae's, his eyes locked on his girlfriend.

"They're so stinkin' cute," Bethany said as Cameron gathered Rae up in his arms. "How can two people be so right for each other? I mean look at them." She pointed across the room where the two were now standing still in the middle of the dancing crowd just gazing at one another. "They're perfect together."

Rome had to agree. They clearly had eyes for only each other. "What about us? Do you think we're perfect?"

Bethany gave him a considering look. "Yes," she answered simply. "During my first day at Spenser all people could talk about were the Sons and Daughters of Ipswich. All the girls worshipped you. And when I met you, I could tell why they did." Her smile was loving as she gazed up at him. "I fell for you right then and there the day I met you. I mean, how could I not?"

"Good point." He laughed as Bethany shoved him on the arm. "I thought you were an Angel."

She rolled her eyes but her smile widened. "I love you and your cheesy lines."

* * *

It was a few minutes until midnight and the music had stopped. Excitement rose in the air as the start of a new year drew closer and closer. The DJ had started a countdown at 120 seconds to go, and everyone scattered around to find themselves a New Years kiss.

In the middle of the room, stood a group of eight, already coupled off. Tristan held Kelsey close, their heads together talking amongst themselves. Her hand was linked with his, looking so small and delicate within his strong fingers.

He would eventually tell Bethany of his secret, he'd decided. He trusted her with his whole life so why not with the secret that had been with his family for hundreds of years? At times, he thought, she already knew something of it. As his ancestors were in many of the books of the history of Ipswich.

Earlier that night, Tristan had told Cameron that he wanted to marry Kelsey though he would wait to propose until after they both had graduated from college. He knew she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and he was more that sure she felt the same.

Peyton was curled against Quinn chest, his strong arms wrapped tightly around her. The glint of the promise ring, a promise for a future with Quinn, glinted in the chandelier light that hung above them.

"Sixty seconds left!" the DJ shouted over the noise of the crowd.

"Yay!" Rae clapped her hands together excitedly. She faced Cameron who ran the back of his hand gently down the side of her face which seemed to cause her to go still. She leaned into him and his arms went around her where they stayed. She would marry him someday, she told herself. A life with Cameron was exactly what was in her destiny. He shared her secret and the blood of the Covenant, she loved him with all of her heart.

She often wondered, how things would be now if she hadn't been so upset with Alex all those months ago and drank her sorrow away. Would her feelings for Cameron have been found and exposed another way? It didn't matter, she told herself now, everything happens for a reason.

The countdown continued and the anticipation grew. Across the room they could see Kacy, Lacy and Tracy standing alone together. Bethany felt a twang pity toward them. No matter how mean they had been to her she'd like to see them as happy as she felt. Feeling Rome's gaze on her, she turned to him and grinned.

"I love you, baby," she said as he draped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple.

"I love you more."

The crowd around them erupted into cheer and applause as the last ten seconds of the year started.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!" As if one voice, everyone within the Simms Manor shouted Happy New Year. Throughout the living room, boys found their bravery and kissed the girls they had had their eye on the entire night.

Tristan dipped Kelsey and kissed her lips as she giggled madly. Rae threw her arms around Cameron, capturing his mouth in a passionate kiss. Quinn lifted Peyton so her feet dangled off the ground as they lips met.

Bethany had nearly knocked Rome over with the force of her kiss as the DJ's voice came over the speakers, loud and clear. "It's the beginning of a new start, let this be the year of no fear, my friends. Happy New Years everyone."

* * *

By the time everyone had cleared out of the house and had gone home it was nearing 5 a.m. The house was still a mess; hundreds of red and blue plastic cups littered the floors, some still half full with alcohol.

"This house is a disaster," Bethany laughed, eyeing the room they stood in. The furniture, which had been pushed against the walls to provide a dance floor, was now covered with empty glass bottles and food crumbs. "You're parents are going to kill us."

"Nah," Tristan answered with a smile. "From the stories my dad has told me, they'd done much more damaged than this when they were our age."

"I can totally see that," Kelsey said. "Especially Mr. Garwin and your mom, Cameron. They looked like they can party."

Rae laughed. She had heard plenty of stories that involved her father and partying, even some that made her cringe. Looking around at her friends, she grinned. "We sure as hell can throw an awesome party."

"You mean, _we_ can," said Rome, gesturing to just the guys. "It was a pretty amazing New Years Bash. We'll have to do the same thing next year."

Bethany strolled away from the group and picked up a bottled that was full with clear liquid. "Vodka."

"Nice choice," Rae said, finding a stack of clean blue cups at the edge of the coffee table. As Bethany poured enough for a shot in each of the eight cups, she spoke.

"I'm so glad I got the opportunity to transfer to Spenser Academy. I don't know what I'd be doing in Delaware right now if I hadn't come here. Probably with my grandma playing Chess." She laughed and handed a cup to each of her friends. "You all are like my family. I love you all from the bottom of my heart. You guys are the world to me."

"Aw!" Kelsey said, pulling the blonde into a hug. "We love you more, Bethany. Fate would have eventually brought you to us."

"I would have found you somehow," Rome said, kissing her lips.

Cameron raised his drink in the air and waited until his friends followed suit. "Despite all the drama that happened this past year, it's been one of the best. We each found or overcame something." His eyes went to Rae. "I found the love of my life."

Rae gazed up at him and grinned. "I faced my fear of what others thought about me."

"I finally got the girl," Tristan added for himself.

"You mean, you let the girl finally get _you_," Kelsey laughed and curled closer to him.

Rome lifted his drink. "No matter what we found or overcame I don't think we could have done it without each other. You guys are my family and will be with me for the rest of my life."

"So," Peyton said, "in the words of our wonderful DJ tonight, let this be the year of no fear! Here's to the amazing year ahead of us!"

"And to happy endings," Quinn added, grabbing his girlfriend's hand.

As one, they raised up their cups, rims touching and said, "To a new year and happy endings!"

THE END.

* * *

**Authors Note**: Even though this story is coming to an end, that doesn't mean it will be the end of Reidsgirl18. =) I have another story in mind so keep an eye out for it! Gonna try to have it up within the next week, I promise! Love you all!

One more thing, seeing as this is how it is my last chapter for Generation of Five, let's get a BUNCH of reviews. That'd be fabulous!


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